INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Developing Countries: Food

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research her Department has conducted into the effects on developing nations of the UK's support of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition.

Lynne Featherstone: Every DFID New Alliance programme, including both country-level food security and nutrition programmes and funding for wider agricultural policy reforms, is subject to annual review. This year, partner Governments will conduct their first annual reviews of the effects of the New Alliance at country level. Reviews will help track progress against the topline New Alliance goal: to lift 50 million people in developing African nations out of poverty over 10 years, through increasing investment in agriculture.
	DFID has worked with the Future Agricultures Consortium on New Alliance evaluation, and is assisting World Bank research on responsible investment in New Alliance partner countries.

Developing Countries: Food

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how UK funds to the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition are allocated.

Lynne Featherstone: UK investment in the New Alliance is split between commitments to food security, agriculture and nutrition programmes in six partner countries, and a range of wider enabling actions including policy tools and agricultural technology.
	The UK has New Alliance programme commitments in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Ghana, Malawi and Nigeria. The commitment listed in each country's Co-operation Framework is what the UK will invest in food security and agriculture over three years. All New Alliance funding contributes to the topline New Alliance goal: to lift 50 million people in Africa out of poverty over 10 years through investing in agriculture.

Ukraine

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures she has put in place to protect civilians in the event of an escalation of the situation in Ukraine.

David Lidington: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
	I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Prime Minister to the House on 10 March 2014, Official Report, columns 25-43. In his statement the Prime Minister made it clear that what has happened to Ukraine is “completely indefensible”.
	The UK Government along with international partners are committed to protecting the right of the people of Ukraine to determine their own future. The priority now is to deter further Russian military action and de-escalate. The situation must be dealt with through diplomacy and mediation in the relevant international organisations, such as the UN and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). We are committed to supporting such steps.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Iran

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he bring forward proposals to impose further sanctions against the Government of Iran for its continued support of terrorism in (a) Iraq, (b) Syria and (c) Israel; and if he will be make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: We have serious concerns about Iran's support for militant groups in the middle east, including Hezbollah's military wing, Palestinian rejectionist groups such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and Hamas, and Iraqi Shi’a militia groups. There is a significant body of international sanctions which target such activity, including UN prohibitions on the export of weapons by Iran, and EU and UN sanctions targeting leading members of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

Iran

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of human rights abuses in Iran; if he will raise that matter at the United Nations; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: Despite some small but positive initial steps by President Rouhani, the human rights situation in Iran remains dire. The latest report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, Dr Shaheed, is due to be published within the next week. The UK will be making a statement on human rights in Iran during the current session of the UN Human Rights Council, and will be co-sponsoring the resolution to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for a further year.

Iran

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had at the United Nations about the Iranian nuclear programme; and if he will be make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: The UK regularly discusses the Iranian nuclear issue at the UN, both at ministerial and official level. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), last visited the UN in September 2013, where the issue was discussed. UK officials regularly attend meetings of the 1737 Iran Sanctions Committee on implementation of UN sanctions against Iran. The UK also sits on the Board of the International Atomic Energy Agency—the specialised agency of the United Nations tasked with monitoring Iran's nuclear programme, including concerns about its possible military dimensions.

Iran: Syria

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent reports he has received of weapons from Iran reaching Syria across Iraqi airspace; if he will raise that matter at the United Nations; and if he will be make a statement;
	(2)  what recent reports he has received of (a) military and (b) financial support of the Syrian Government by the Government of Iran; if he will raise this issue at the United Nations; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what recent discussions he has had at the United Nations about the financial and military support given to the Government of Syria by the Government of Iran; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: Iran continues to support the Assad regime through the provision of IRGC Qods Force personnel, weaponry and billions of dollars of financial support. The UK has raised concerns about this with the Iranian Government. We have also raised concerns with the Iraqi Government over the suggestion that Iranian support for Assad has been transiting through Iraqi airspace. We regularly raise concerns about member states' financial and military support to the Syrian regime, in the United Nations. Export of weapons by Iran is prohibited under UN Security Council Resolutions.

Middle East

Michael Ellis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of recent reports that Israeli forces intercepted an Iranian shipment of advanced, long-range M-302 missiles bound for Gaza.

Hugh Robertson: The reports are a matter of concern. Details are still emerging but, if confirmed, an Iranian shipment of weapons would be a troubling development for anyone who supports peace and stability in the region.

Yemen

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Yemeni Government on the recruitment of children by the militia in that country.

Hugh Robertson: We have encouraged the international community to highlight the issue of the recruitment of child soldiers in Yemen, most recently in February through UN Security Council Resolution 2140 (2014) on Yemen, which expressed concern that children continue to be recruited by armed groups and Government forces.
	The UK also endorsed the recent EU Foreign Affairs Council Conclusions to end the use and recruitment of children by Yemeni Government forces.

Yemen

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions (a) he and (b) other Ministers of his Department have had on the recruitment of children by the Yemeni militia.

Hugh Robertson: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has had no recent discussions on the recruitment of child soldiers in Yemen. We will however continue to use multilateral forums such as the UN and EU to make progress on tackling this issue. I will also raise this during my regular discussions with Yemeni interlocutors.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Absent Voting

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what percentage of postal votes were cast in the 100 constituencies with the largest amount of postal votes in the most recent general election.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission has provided the following table, which shows the 100 constituencies where the largest number of postal votes were issued at 2010 general election, in descending order. It also shows the total number of postal votes at the count as a percentage of all votes at the count.
	
		
			 Constituency name 2010 Electorate Total number of votes at the count1 Number of postal ballot papers issued Number of postal votes included at the count Percentage of postal votes at the count 
			 Sunderland Central 74,485 42,682 27,881 21,400 50 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne North 67,110 44,014 27,277 22,213 50 
			 Houghton and Sunderland South 68,729 38,251 26,707 20,049 52 
			 Washington and Sunderland West 68,910 37,528 25,609 19,065 51 
			 Stevenage 68,937 44,752 23,814 19,780 44 
			 South Shields 64,084 36,629 23,222 17,634 48 
			 Rushcliffe 72,955 53,834 23,172 20,263 38 
			 Don Valley 72,597 43,549 22,789 15,573 36 
			 Jarrow 64,350 38,897 22,713 17,398 45 
			 Chorley 70,976 49,922 21,994 18,383 37 
			 Blyth Valley 62,900 38,615 21,875 17,748 46 
			 Blaydon 67,808 45,070 21,424 17,555 39 
		
	
	
		
			 Doncaster Central 72,985 41,864 21,307 15,026 36 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Central 60,507 34,249 20,849 15,864 46 
			 Tyneside North 77,690 46,529 20,786 16,678 36 
			 Wrekin, The 65,544 46,078 20,771 17,559 38 
			 Telford 65,061 41,379 20,709 17,453 42 
			 Tynemouth 75,680 52,756 20,250 17,070 32 
			 Altrincham and Sale West 72,208 49,547 20,114 15,666 32 
			 Doncaster North 71,681 41,622 19,981 16,403 39 
			 Rother Valley 72,847 46,852 19,346 16,208 35 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne East 64,487 37,914 19,188 15,080 40 
			 Calder Valley 76,903 51,939 19,119 16,036 31 
			 Gateshead 66,492 38,343 18,540 14,370 37 
			 Blackpool North and Cleveleys 66,017 40,649 18,313 14,208 35 
			 Worsley and Eccles South 72,473 41,884 18,291 14,007 33 
			 Durham North West 70,350 43,900 18,266 14,308 33 
			 Stockton South 73,840 50,332 18,055 15,355 31 
			 Durham North 67,544 41,040 17,985 14,195 35 
			 Hackney North and Stoke Newington 73,906 46,811 17,965 12,629 27 
			 Blackburn 72,331 47,217 17,888 13,744 29 
			 Guildford 77,082 55,662 17,738 15,326 28 
			 Newbury 79,144 58,645 17,644 15,412 26 
			 Kettering 68,824 47,383 17,606 15,044 32 
			 Wythenshawe and Sale East 79,923 40,887 17,579 12,149 30 
			 Burton 74,874 49,932 17,285 14,445 29 
			 St Helens North 74,985 44,776 17,240 14,077 31 
			 Yeovil 82,314 57,241 17,170 14,758 26 
			 Gloucester 79,321 50,890 17,089 13,195 26 
			 Norwich South 73,649 47,621 17,056 14,226 30 
			 Salford and Eccles 75,483 41,702 16,963 12,972 31 
			 Stretford and Urmston 70,991 45,084 16,957 13,096 29 
			 Blackpool South 63,027 35,252 16,810 12,466 35 
			 Wentworth and Dearne 72,586 42,187 16,760 13,512 32 
			 St Helens South and Whiston 77,975 46,299 16,710 13,600 29 
			 Colne Valley 80,060 55,401 16,709 13,999 25 
			 Rotherham 63,563 37,601 16,502 13,499 36 
			 Halifax 70,380 43,797 16,463 13,163 30 
			 Milton Keynes South 86,559 55,416 16,296 12,492 23 
			 Easington 63,879 34,977 16,235 12,286 35 
			 South Ribble 75,822 51,528 16,060 13,265 26 
			 Harrogate and Knaresborough 74,760 53,209 15,934 13,240 25 
			 Richmond Park 77,751 59,398 15,893 11,207 19 
			 Wyre and Preston North 70,201 51,426 15,864 13,254 26 
			 Bury South 73,544 48,379 15,710 12,474 26 
			 Sedgefield 64,728 40,298 15,580 12,304 31 
			 Wansbeck 61,782 38,334 15,562 12,722 33 
			 Warrington South 79,182 55,007 15,425 12,850 23 
			 Northamptonshire South 82,033 60,210 15,403 12,287 20 
			 Corby 78,024 54,345 15,393 12,975 24 
			 Westmorland and Lonsdale 66,988 51,569 15,236 13,063 25 
			 Bury North 66,759 45,097 15,207 12,048 27 
			 Eastbourne 77,840 52,197 15,110 12,859 25 
			 Cheltenham 78,998 52,883 15,085 13,143 25 
			 Sheffield South East 67,068 41,547 15,078 12,023 29 
			 Isle of Wight 109,922 70,376 14,995 12,194 17 
			 Somerton and Frome 81,548 60,690 14,972 13,109 22 
			 Durham, City of 68,832 46,313 14,783 12,226 26 
			 Kingston and Surbiton 81,115 57,262 14,693 11,716 20 
			 Twickenham 80,569 59,846 14,690 11,166 19 
			 Winchester 73,805 56,060 14,580 12,660 23 
			 Hackney South and Shoreditch 72,841 43,279 14,555 9,741 23 
			 Manchester Central 90,110 40,065 14,536 9,441 24 
			 Penistone and Stocksbridge 68,480 46,599 14,515 11,951 26 
			 Blackley and Broughton 69,489 34,354 14,488 9,579 28 
			 Darlington 68,168 42,959 14,484 12,267 29 
		
	
	
		
			 Elmet and Rothwell 77,724 55,873 14,475 11,546 21 
			 Stockton North 66,752 39,537 14,416 11,854 30 
			 Sheffield Heeley 65,571 40,980 14,375 11,400 28 
			 Sheffield Hallam 68,798 51,263 14,362 12,317 24 
			 Hendon 72,943 46,547 14,359 10,502 23 
			 Mole Valley 72,297 54,448 14,324 11,729 22 
			 Pudsey 69,257 49,174 14,274 11,794 24 
			 Wigan 75,407 44,302 14,261 10,533 24 
			 Wells 79,432 55,963 14,162 10,950 20 
			 Dewsbury 78,910 54,167 14,158 11,533 21 
			 Southport 67,200 43,924 14,135 11,074 25 
			 Norwich North 64,814 42,613 14,128 11,052 26 
			 Taunton Deane 82,507 58,234 14,103 12,309 21 
			 Cornwall South East 71,373 49,689 14,018 11,765 24 
			 Grantham and Stamford 78,008 52,874 13,964 11,422 22 
			 Woking 73,837 52,919 13,944 11,739 22 
			 Leeds East 64,698 37,906 13,928 9,743 26 
			 Cheadle 71,635 52,656 13,874 11,067 21 
			 Bolton North East 66,846 43,445 13,863 11,763 27 
			 Stalybridge and Hyde 69,081 41,034 13,844 9,845 24 
			 Richmond (Yorks) 80,563 53,547 13,800 11,043 21 
			 Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough 67,740 39,069 13,780 10,783 28 
			 Cardiff North 65,553 47,703 13,762 11,633 24 
			 Chipping Barnet 75,120 50,797 13,735 10,091 20 
			 1 Includes ballots rejected at the count.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what current campaign the Electoral Commission has to increase registration of (a) UK citizens living abroad and (b) UK citizens living in the UK.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission refers the hon. Gentleman to its earlier reply (189414) of 6 March 2014, Official Report, column 891W, in which it outlined details of current and forthcoming Electoral Commission campaigns to increase registration in the UK and for UK citizens living abroad, and the relevant targets for those campaigns.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what account the Electoral Commission took of the contribution of the requirement to provide photo identification to vote in the US in developing policy on the introduction of photo identification for voting in the UK.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that following its January 2014 recommendation that voters in Great Britain should be required to produce identification at polling stations for elections from 2019 at the latest onwards, it is now undertaking further detailed work to develop a proportionate and accessible scheme for verifying the identity of electors. This will take into account evidence from other comparable democracies which have introduced similar requirements, including the United States of America.
	The Commission will publish detailed proposals for a proof of identity scheme by the end of 2014.

Electoral Register: Fraud

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, in which local authorities in England the Commission believes electoral fraud is a significant problem.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that in its January 2014 Electoral Fraud review
	http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/164609/Electoral-fraud-review-final-report.pdf
	it identified 16 local authority areas in England where there appears to be a greater risk of cases of electoral fraud being reported. This greater risk is specific to individual wards within those 16 local authority areas.
	The areas that the Commission has identified are:
	Birmingham
	Blackburn with Darwen
	Bradford
	Burnley
	Calderdale
	Coventry
	Derby
	Hyndburn
	Kirklees
	Oldham
	Pendle
	Peterborough
	Slough
	Tower Hamlets
	Walsall
	Woking

Voting Methods

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how many (a) items of correspondence and (b) meetings with Ministers the Electoral Commission has had on (i) postal ballot restrictions and (ii) use of photo ID for voting, in each of the last four years.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has met and corresponded with Ministers regularly over the last four years on matters pertaining to the full range of its responsibilities, including proposed changes to the handling of completed postal ballot applications and the potential use of photo ID for voting.
	The Commission will continue to update Ministers on the progress of its work in this area.

CABINET OFFICE

Census

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether figures for the number of UK citizens in any of the last three censuses have been subsequently amended.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Caron Walker
	On behalf of the Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Chancellor of the Exchequer if figures for the number of UK citizens in any of the last three censuses have been subsequently amended. (190816)
	As the census is a devolved matter in Scotland and Northern Ireland I am replying with regard to the census in England and Wales only.
	Information on citizenship is not collected directly from the census. A question on passport held was included in the census in England and Wales for the first time in 2011, from which proxy information on citizenship has been derived and published in Key Statistics table KS205EW:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/KS205EW
	The figures relating to the number of UK citizens have not been amended.

Conditions of Employment: Wrexham

Ian Lucas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent estimate he has made of the number of children living in households in Wrexham constituency where one or both parents are (a) working part-time because they are unable to find full-time work and (b) employed on a zero-hours contract.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated March 2014
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question to the Minister for the Cabinet Office asking what recent estimate he has made of the number of children living in households in Wrexham constituency where one or both parents are (a) working part-time because they are unable to find full-time work and (b) employed on a zero-hours contract. (191112)
	The Office for National Statistics compiles statistics for people working in part-time jobs because they could not find a full time post from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). However, estimates of the number of children living in households where one or both parents are working part-time because they are unable to find full-time work for the requested geography is not available due to small sample sizes.
	Estimates relating to zero-hour contracts are also available from the LFS; however, full estimates of the total number of people in employment on such contracts are not available from this source. This is, in part, due to reporting error as respondents may fail to identify their type of employment contract correctly. Therefore we have not been able to state how many children are living in households where one or both parents are working on zero hour contracts in Wrexham constituency.

Employment

Ian Lucas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people are employed in the (a) commerce and (b) manufacturing sectors in (i) Wrexham constituency, (ii) Wales and (iii) the UK.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated March 2014
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Minister for the Cabinet Office asking how many people are employed in the (a) commerce and (b) manufacturing sectors in (i) Wrexham constituency, (ii) Wales and (iii) the UK.
	Annual employment statistics are available from the Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES). Table 1 as follows contains estimates of the number employed in businesses considered to be part of industries involved in commerce for Wrexham constituency, Wales and the UK in 2012, the most recent year that figures are available. Although there is no standard definition of commerce used by the Office for National Statistics, in this table commerce is taken to be the service sector with public administration, education, health and arts, entertainment and recreation removed. This is intended to reflect businesses that are involved in the activity of buying and selling. Table 2 contains estimates of the number employed in the manufacturing sector for these areas.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			 Table 1-Employment in 2012 for commerce 
			 Commerce industries Wrexham constituency Wales UK 
			 Motor trades 700 24,100 511,600 
			 Wholesale 1,300 33,800 1,136,400 
			 Retail 5,000 144,200 2,931,900 
			 Transport & storage (inc postal) 1,300 40,800 1,270,000 
			 Accommodation & food services 2,000 94,200 1,943,800 
			 Information & communication 600 22,900 1,069,500 
		
	
	
		
			 Financial & insurance 500 29,500 1,065,400 
			 Property 300 17,900 507,500 
			 Professional, scientific & technical 1,200 46,200 2,188,700 
			 Business administration & support services 2,700 72,600 2,311,200 
			 Total commerce 15,600 526,100 14,936,000 
			 Note: Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred and so the sum of the employment in individual industries may not add up to the total. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2-Employment in 2012 for the manufacturing sector 
			 Wrexham constituency Wales UK 
			 7,800 134,600 2,417,200

Government Departments: Procurement

Andrew Percy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many Government contracts have been awarded to companies based in Brigg and Goole constituency since May 2010; and what the value of such awards was.

Nick Hurd: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Livingston (Graeme Morrice) on 16 December 2013, Official Report, column 453W.

Housing: Prices

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the cost of purchasing a home in (a) London and (b) the South East in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated March 2014
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate has been made of the cost of purchasing a home in (a) London and (b) the South East in each of the last five years (191336).
	Table 1 shows the mean house price for both London and the South East, based on houses purchased using a mortgage only, in each of the last five years. This only represents the purchase price and will not include any other costs associated with purchasing a house such as stamp duty and legal fees. Data for 2013 are scheduled to be published 25 March 2014.
	
		
			 Table 1: Mean house prices for London and the South East 2008 to 2012 
			 £ 
			  Mean house price: London1, 2 Mean house price: South East1, 2 
			 2008 351,000 285,000 
			 2009 338,000 274,000 
			 2010 385,000 309,000 
			 2011 401,000 301,000 
			 2012 410,000 303,000 
			 1 Mean house prices (mortgage purchases only) taken from table 23 of the ONS annual House Price Index reference table 2 Prices rounded to nearest £1,000

India

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how long he expects the investigation into alleged UK involvement in the attack on the Golden Temple, Amritsar in 1984 will take; and whether all the proceedings and findings of the investigation will be published.

Hugo Swire: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
	On 13 January the Cabinet Secretary was asked by the Prime Minister to lead an urgent review into allegations of UK involvement in the Indian operation at Sri Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar in June 1984. His investigation has now concluded and his final report was published on 4 February and can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alleged-uk-link-to-operation-at-sri-harmandir-sahib-amritsar-1984

Military Medals Review

James Wharton: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  when the Honours and Decorations Committee last met to consider the recommendations put forward by Sir John Holmes regarding the rules for the awarding of military medals;
	(2)  when the Honours and Decorations Committee's report from its last meeting to consider the recommendations of Sir John Holmes will go forward for final approval.

Francis Maude: The Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (HD Committee) met in January 2014 and considered a number of recommendations put forward by Sir John Holmes regarding the rules for awarding military medals. The Committee's report is now in the process of being formally approved.

Ovarian Cancer

Jim Shannon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer in each of the last three years; and what the survival rate of women with ovarian cancer has been in each of the last three years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated March 2014
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many people have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer in each of the last three years; and what the survival rate of women with ovarian cancer has been in each of the last three years [191414].
	The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of cancer (incidence) are for the year 2011. Table 1 provides the number of newly diagnosed cases of ovarian cancer in women in England, for the years 2009 to 2011.
	ONS publishes one and five-year cancer net survival estimates for England, for 21 common cancers, including ovarian cancer. The latest figures are for adults diagnosed during the period 2007-2011 and followed up to 2012. Table 2 provides one and five-year net survival estimates for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer in this and the two preceding periods (women diagnosed 2006-2010, followed up to 2011, and women diagnosed 2005-2009, followed up to 2011).
	The latest published figures on cancer incidence in England are available on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/cancer-statistics-registrations--england--series-mb1-/index.html
	The latest published figures on cancer survival in England are available on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/cancer-unit/cancer-survival/index.html
	
		
			 Table 1: Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of ovarian cancer1, England, 2009-112 
			  Registrations 
			 2009 5,783 
			 2010 5,741 
			 2011 5,743 
			 1 Cancer of the ovary (including associated ligaments and ducts) is coded as C56, C57.0-C57.7 according to the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10). 2 Cancer incidence figures are based on newly diagnosed cases registered in each calendar year. Note: Figures for England exclude cancer registrations for non-residents Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS) 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: One-year and five-year net survival (percentage)1, with 95% confidence intervals (CI)2, for women (15 to 99 years)3 diagnosed with ovarian cancer4 during 2005-11, England 
			 Diagnosis and follow up period One-year relative survival (percentage) Lower and upper CI Five-year relative survival (percentage) Lower and upper CI 
			 2005-2009 (followed up to 2010) 72.3 (71.8—72.8) 42.9 (42.1—43.8) 
			 2006-2010 (followed up to 2011) 72.7 (72.1—73.3) 44.0 (43.0—45.0) 
			 2007-2011 (followed up to 2012) 73.7 (73.1—74.3) 46.3 (45.3—47.3) 
			 1 Net survival is an estimate of the probability of survival for the given time after diagnosis of the cancer, assuming that no other cause of death occurs. 2 A 95% confidence interval is a measure of the uncertainty around an estimate. It provides a range around the estimated value within which we have a 95% level of confidence that the true value for the population is likely to fall. 3 All women (aged 15 to 99 years) in England who were diagnosed during 2005-11 with ovarian cancer as an invasive, primary, malignant neoplasm were eligible for analysis. Ineligible patients were those whose tumour was benign (not malignant) or in situ (malignant but not invasive) or of uncertain behaviour (uncertain whether benign or malignant), or for which the organ of origin was unknown. 4 Ovarian cancer (including associated ligaments and ducts) is coded as C56, C57.0-C57.7 in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Source: Office for National Statistics and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Pay: Wrexham

Ian Lucas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what change there has been in median gross pay for women in Wrexham constituency since 2010;
	(2)  what change there has been in median gross weekly earnings for (a) men and (b) women in Wrexham constituency since 2010.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what change there has been in median gross weekly earnings for (a) men and (b) women in Wrexham constituency since 2010(191138) and what change there has been in median gross pay for women in Wrexham constituency since 2010.(191115)
	The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. Weekly levels of earnings are estimated from ASHE, and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay, whose earnings for the survey pay period were not affected by absence. Figures relate to employee jobs, which are defined as those held by employees and not the self-employed. I attach a table showing estimates of median gross weekly earnings for employees in Wrexham constituency from 2010 to 2013, the latest period for which results are available. Figures are provided for male employees and female employees.
	In order to account for a discontinuity in the series in 2011, percentage changes between 2010 and 2013 were calculated by compounding growth rates between individual years. Consequently, the percentage changes shown in the table do not correspond precisely to the actual percentage differences between the 2010 and 2013 earnings estimates.
	
		
			 Median gross weekly earnings for employees1 in Wrexham constituency between April 2010 and April 2013 
			 Year (April) Male Female 
			 2010 *441.6 *321.8 
			 20112,4 *427.1 *283.2 
			 20113,4 *425.7 *283.0 
			 2012 *451.7 **291.9 
			 2013 *453.8 *306.9 
			 Per cent change 2010 to 20135 3.1 -4.6 
			 1 Employee jobs are defined as those held by employees and not the self-employed. Figures relate to employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence. ASHE is based on a 1% sample of jobs taken from HM Revenue and Customs' Pay As You Earn (PAYE) records. Consequently, individuals with more than one job may appear in the sample more than once. 2 2011 results based on Standard Occupational Classification 2000. 3 2011 results based on Standard Occupational Classification 2010. 4 Estimates for years prior to 2011 are based on SOC 2000 and estimates for years after 2011 are based on SOC 2010. Figures are only considered to be directly comparable if they are based on the same SOC. 5 In order to account for the series discontinuity, percentage changes between 2010 and 2013 were calculated by compounding growth rates between individual years. Consequently, the percentage changes shown in the table do not correspond precisely to the actual percentage differences between the 2010 and 2013 earnings estimates. Guide to quality: The coefficient of variation (CV) indicates the quality of a figure; the smaller the CV value, the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an average of 200 with a CV of 5%, we would expect the population average to be within the range 180 to 220. Key: * CV > 5% and <=10% ** CV > 10% and <=20%. Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), Office tor National Statistics.

Unemployment: Older People

Ian Lucas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of jobseekers over the age of (a) 50 and (b) 60 in (i) Wrexham constituency, (ii) Wales and (iii) the UK in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Caron Walker, dated March 2014
	On behalf of the Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office for the number of jobseekers over the age of (a) 50 and (b) 60 in (i) Wrexham constituency, (ii) Wales and (iii) the UK in the most recent period for which figures are available. (191125)
	For this question Jobseekers has been interpreted as those claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) which covers about half of those considered to be unemployed. The Office for National Statistics (0NS) compiles data on the number of people claiming JSA from the Jobcentre Plus Administrative System.
	The table shows the number of people aged 50 to 59, 60 and over and 50 and over who were claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in January 2014 resident in the requested geographies.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			 Number1 of people claiming jobseeker's allowance, January 2014, not seasonally adjusted 
			 Number 
			  Aged 50 to 59 Aged 60 and over Aged 50 and over 
			 Wrexham 255 45 300 
			 Wales 9,870 1,645 11,520 
			 United Kingdom 197,725 31,020 228,745 
			 1 Rounded to nearest 5. Totals may not equal the sum of the independently rounded components. Source: Jobcentre Plus Administrative System.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Stalking

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Attorney-General how many Crown Prosecution lawyers have been trained to deal with offences of stalking under sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, in each Crown Prosecution Service area; and if he will make a statement.

Dominic Grieve: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) updated its Legal Guidance on Stalking and Harassment to reflect the new stalking offences under sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 prior to commencement of the stalking offences on 25 November 2012. In addition, the CPS developed an online e-Learning course called Cyber Crime: Cyber Stalking in September 2012, which is accessible to all prosecutors. This course includes cyber stalking, non-cyber stalking and harassment. The course was revised in November 2012 to take into account the new stalking offences. The CPS maintains a central record of the number of prosecutors who have been trained to deal with stalking and harassment offences by way of the e-Learning course.
	The following data were extracted from the CPS HR Database on 11 March 2014. The data are based on those barristers or solicitors who hold a practising certificate in the relevant period. The data cover the period 1 November 2012 (the month when the online e-Learning module was revised to include the new stalking offences) to 28 February 2014 (this is the latest possible data available). The data include only those lawyers who have completed the whole course, including the evaluation module, as the database records e-learning based on completion of all elements of the course.
	
		
			 CPS Cyber Stalking e-Learning completions: Lawyers by CPS area 
			 Group Area Total 
			 Casework divisions  65 
			 Headquarters  13 
			 National areas CPS Direct 266 
			  East Midlands 89 
			  East of England 70 
			  London 207 
			  Merseyside and Cheshire 33 
			  North East 69 
			  North West 94 
			  South East 44 
			  South West 39 
			  Thames and Chiltern 118 
			  Wales/Cymru 48 
			  Wessex 28 
			  West Midlands 51 
			  Yorkshire and Humberside 112 
			 Grand total  1,346

Stalking

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Attorney-General in respect of how many alleged offences under section 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 proceedings are currently active in magistrates and Crown courts in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Dominic Grieve: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintain a central record of the number of offences charged under section 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 that reached a first hearing in the magistrates court but these records are held for finalised cases only. It is not possible to ascertain the number of currently active prosecutions. Such information could be obtained only through a manual search of records which would incur disproportionate cost.
	The CPS case management system records the number of finalised cases which reached a first hearing in the magistrates court as follows:
	
		
			   2012-13 2013-14 
			 Protection from Harassment Act I997{4A(1)(a)(b)(i)and(5)} Stalking involving fear of violence 9 37 
		
	
	
		
			 Protection from Harassment Act 1997 {4A(l)(a)(b)(ii) and (5)} Stalking involving serious alarm/distress 10 106 
			 Total  19 143 
		
	
	There is no indication of final outcome or if the offence charged was the offence at finalisation.

Stalking

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Attorney-General in respect of how many alleged offences under section 2A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 proceedings are currently active in magistrates courts in England and Wales.

Dominic Grieve: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintain a central record of the number of offences charged under section 2A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 that reached a first hearing in the magistrates court but these records are held for finalised cases only. It is not possible to ascertain the number of currently active prosecutions. Such information could be obtained only through a manual search of records which would incur disproportionate cost.
	The CPS case management system records the number of finalised cases which reached a first hearing in the magistrates court as follows:
	
		
			   2012-13 2013-14 
			 Protection from Harassment Act 1997 {2A(l)and(4)} Stalking without fear/alarm/distress 72 405 
		
	
	There is no indication of final outcome or if the offence charged was the offence at finalisation.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Betting Shops: Licensing

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many times her Department has met (a) local authorities and (b) local government representative bodies to discuss licensing of betting shops since the appointment of the Minister with responsibility for sport, tourism and equalities;
	(2)  how many times her Department has met (a) the National Association of Bookmakers and (b) representatives from individual bookmakers since the appointment of the Minister for Sport, Tourism and Equalities.

Helen Grant: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has held separate discussions with both the Association of British Bookmakers and local authorities in relation to gambling matters. Since October 2013, DCMS has attended local government forums, written to local authorities and betting operators and held several ministerial meetings with bookmakers and gambling campaign groups.

Broadband: Rural Areas

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking to ensure that superfast broadband reaches rural areas.

Edward Vaizey: The Government have committed a total of £790 million to support superfast broadband roll-out across the UK. This includes £1,211 million announced on 25 February 2014 to support roll-out in Wales, to add to the £56.9 million that we have already committed to the Welsh Government's project to provide superfast broadband coverage to 691,000 premises in Wales.
	We are also investing £10 million to explore how to provide superfast broadband to the hardest to reach parts of the UK.

Direct Selling

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the recommendations of the all-party parliamentary group on nuisance calls' report into nuisance calls; and whether she will issue a formal response to that report.

Edward Vaizey: Tackling nuisance calls is a priority for the Department and we note with interest the recommendations of the all-party parliamentary group on Nuisance Calls. We welcome the work that has been undertaken by them in this important area of concern for consumers and while no formal response will be issued, the APPG report has been very helpful in informing our thinking in this area that will be detailed further in our forthcoming action plan.

Direct Selling

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she plans to publish her Department's action plan on nuisance calls.

Edward Vaizey: Tackling nuisance calls is a priority for the Department and we will shortly publish our action plan, which will set out our achievements to date, work that is currently under way and our plans for the future.

English Heritage

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the resource needs of English Heritage over the next five years.

Edward Vaizey: We announced plans at the last spending round to create a new business model for English Heritage, supported by £85 million of Government investment. A full business case for the new model is currently being finalised, which includes estimates of the capital and resource funding required.

Film: Shropshire

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will hold discussions with UK and international film production companies to promote Shropshire as a film location.

Edward Vaizey: The British Film Commission and Creative England hold regular discussions with film production companies to promote the UK, including Shropshire, as a film destination. It is this success, along with our world-class talent and crew, studio space and generous tax reliefs that attracted investment in UK film production of over £1 billion last year.

Gaming Machines

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the research on fixed- odds betting terminals to be conducted by the Responsible Gambling Trust is due to be completed and published.

Helen Grant: The Responsible Gambling Trust's research programme into category B gaming machines is due to report and be made public in autumn 2014.

Gaming Machines

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of whether £100 stakes in fixed-odds betting terminal machines in betting shops contribute to problem gambling.

Helen Grant: The Government remain concerned about fixed odds betting terminals and their potential association with an elevated risk of gambling harm. The review previously announced by the Prime Minister will determine what further measures may be necessary in addition to enhanced player protection measures introduced earlier this month.

Local Press

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what information her Department holds on the number of local newspapers that have closed since May 2010; and what steps she plans to take to support such newspapers.

Edward Vaizey: The Department does not hold that information. Our local press plays a valuable role in local communities and we appreciate the challenges facing the sector. We have removed cross-media ownership rules to allow the development of new business models, and in addition, the Local Audit and Accountability Bill will prevent unfair competition from council newspapers.

Telecommunications

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what timetable her Department has adopted for reform of the Electronic Communications Code.

Edward Vaizey: Since the Law Commission published its report on the reform of the Electronic Communications Code in February 2013, my Department has been considering the implications of the recommendations on network roll-out and service provision to consumers. In January 2014 we published an economic analysis of the impact of various wayleave valuation regimes. A copy of this report has been placed in the House of Commons Library. The analysis work is ongoing and I will make public the timetable for the reform of the Electronic Communications Code in due course.

Television: Licensing

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people were fined for not holding a television licence in (a) Gillingham and Rainham constituency, (b) Medway, (c) Kent and (d) England in 2013.

Edward Vaizey: The statistics for the number of people fined for not holding a television licence in the UK in 2013 are compiled by the Ministry of Justice. They will be published on the Ministry of Justice website in May 2014. The published figures will not be broken down into specific areas or constituencies.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses in (a) Coventry, (b) Coventry North East constituency, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England employed an apprentice in each of the last five years.

Matthew Hancock: Information is not available on the number of businesses employing apprentices.
	Table 1 shows the number of employer workplaces (site level) in Coventry North East Constituency, Coventry Local Education Authority, the West Midlands and England that employed apprentices from 2010/11 to 2012/13. Information for earlier years is not readily available.
	
		
			 Table 1: Employer Workplaces that Employed Apprentices by Geography, 2010/11 to 2012/13 
			  2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 
			 Coventry North East Constituency 300 400 500 
			 Coventry Local Education Authority 1,100 1,300 1,400 
			 The West Midlands 19,100 22,400 25,700 
			 England 173,600 204,800 228,700 
			 Notes: 1. The figures are a count of number of individual employer workplaces (site level). 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. 3. Geographic information is based on the delivery location of the Apprenticeship. Note that some employer workplaces deliver Apprenticeship in more than one location. Source: Individualised Learner Record

Ballooning: Safety

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations he has made about the regulatory burden imposed by the European Aviation Safety Agency on hot air balloon manufacturers; and if he will make a statement.

Robert Goodwill: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Transport.
	The adoption of common type certification and airworthiness standards for balloons has benefited balloon manufacturers by enabling them to freely market their products in all member states. However, we recognise that some aspects of the EU implementing rules on aviation safety may place a disproportionate burden on the general aviation sector, including balloon manufacturers. We have raised this concern with the European Commission and the European Aviation Safety Agency. They accept that the implementing rules need to be proportionate to the activity been undertaken. As a result, areas of possible over-regulation of the general aviation sector are being addressed under the European Commission's general aviation strategy and its REFIT programme.

Cybercrime: Crime Prevention

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what contribution cyber-security exports made to the UK economy in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13.

Michael Fallon: The total value of UK cyber-security exports is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 (a) 2010 1— 
			 (b) 2011 805 
			 (c) 2012 852 
			 1 Data not available. 
		
	
	Data for 2013 will be available later this year.

Electric Vehicles

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to support the use of electric vehicles.

Michael Fallon: The Government committed £400 million to support the early market for ultra low emission vehicles to 2015 and have committed a further £500 million from 2015 to 2020.
	In January 2014, we launched a joint Government and industry information campaign to enthuse and engage vehicle purchasers and dispel widespread myths. The UK currently has one of the most comprehensive support packages anywhere in the world with discounts for eligible vehicles, grants for chargepoints at home, on the street and in train station car parks, and a growing network of super-fast rapid chargepoints which will be Europe's best by 2015.
	We also have a consistent set of tax incentives driving fleet and private purchasers towards ever cleaner cars and we are revising Government buying standards to increase adoption within the public sector.
	We are now developing our proposals for the shape of our 2015-20 support package and analysing contributions from industry to our recent call for evidence. We aim to finalise a draft package of measures by the spring, before seeking state aid clearance from the European Commission.

Energy: Industry

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer given to the hon. Member for Corby of 27 February 2014, Official Report, columns 406-07, how much compensation beyond the £28 million already stated for the Emissions Trading System is expected to be provided; and when that additional compensation will be provided.

Michael Fallon: Compensation for the EU Emissions Trading System runs from January 2013 to March 2016. In addition to the £28 million already paid out in compensation, we expect to pay a further £60 million over the life of the scheme.

ICT: Employment

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of jobs which remain unfilled in the UK online and digital industries due to a lack of people with the prerequisite skills for those jobs.

Matthew Hancock: Data from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills ‘Employer Skills Survey' give us a snapshot of vacancies at a particular time. The 2013 survey showed that the Information Economy sector had around 6,000 vacancies that were deemed to be hard to fill for skills-related reasons. The sector also reported higher than average skill shortage vacancies (6.9 per 1,000 employees as opposed to 5.4 for all sectors) at the time of the survey.
	Source:
	BIS analysis of UKCES Employer Skills Survey 2013:
	http://www.ukces.org.uk/publications/er81-ukces-ess-13

Land Registry

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what data the Land Registry holds on the number of leasehold domestic premises in (a) Worthing West constituency, (b) Worthing borough, (c) Arun district, (d) West Sussex county, (e) South East England region, (f) England and (g) England and Wales; what data collection the Land Registry makes on housing tenure types; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: Land Registry does not hold data which would identify a property as domestic or commercial. However, the number can be split between those owned by private and non-private individuals. Land Registry does not store data at constituency level; Worthing West constituency comprises Worthing district and a small area of Arun district. Therefore, data for both districts have been provided, along with the combined figure.
	
		
			  Leasehold titles Leasehold titles owned by private individuals Leasehold titles not owned by private individuals 
			 Worthing district 12,756 11,508 1,248 
			 Arun district 13,740 11,796 1,944 
			 Combined Worthing and Arun districts 26,496 23,304 3,192 
			 West Sussex 64,811 54,397 10,414 
			 South East England 649,941 533,038 116,903 
			 England 4,582,775 3,783,520 799,255 
			 England and Wales 4735363 3902728 832635 
		
	
	As part of the process of registration, Land Registry holds and collects data on the tenure type of every registered property. This tenure can be absolute freehold or leasehold, possessory freehold or leasehold, qualified freehold or leasehold or good leasehold. On its website, Land Registry provides a dataset inventory showing the electronic data it holds, but the actual tenure data requested are not published.

Motor Vehicles: Insurance

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the Competition Commission's decision not to consider issues specific to Northern Ireland within its inquiry into the car insurance industry.

Jennifer Willott: It is for the UK's independent competition authorities to decide on the scope of their inquiries following consultation with affected parties. In this case, the Competition Commission (CC) initially considered that the private motor insurance industry in Northern Ireland might contain aspects of competition which differed from that of the rest of the United Kingdom. However, on examination of the market in Northern Ireland, the CC did not consider it to be significantly different from the picture of competition in the rest of the UK, and therefore assessed it as a part of the full investigation. The CC's provisional assessment of the Northern Irish market is set out in Appendix 5.2 of its Provisional Findings report, published on 19 December 2013.

Official Receiver

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many complaints about the Official Receiver were received in each year between 2010 and 2014.

Jennifer Willott: Since 2010, the Insolvency Service received the following number of complaints about the official receiver:
	
		
			  Official receiver complaints 
			 2009/10 1— 
			 2010/11 248 
			 2011/12 300 
			 2012/13 228 
			 2013/14 (to end February 2014) 206 
			 1 Unknown. 
		
	
	The Insolvency Service does not hold any records to identify separately complaints about official receivers for 2009/10. In that year 224 total complaints were received.

Offshore Industry

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to support UK manufacturing in offshore projects based on the UK continental shelf.

Michael Fallon: The Oil and Gas Strategy launched in March 2013 was developed in partnership with industry. It offers investment confidence and security by setting out a clear path to exploit the UK's remaining resources and overcome an increasingly challenging production environment. The UK supply chain is integral to the success of the UK continental shelf and Government and industry have committed to work together to strengthen it.
	We are also working to ensure UK firms can exploit opportunities on the UK continental shelf and build on the £27 billion of revenues (in 2011) which they already generate in the UK. Fabrication has been identified as one area to target to ensure the industry remains competitive in UK as well as international markets.

Technology: Young People

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the number of young people without a university qualification working in the (a) high-tech manufacturing and (b) space industry.

Michael Fallon: High-tech manufacturing is defined by international organisations including Eurostat as the industries manufacturing pharmaceuticals; computer, electronics and optical products; or aircraft, spacecraft and related machinery (Standard Industrial Classification 21, 26 and 30.3).
	According to the Labour Force Survey (LFS), around 61% of those aged 16 to 24 working in high-tech manufacturing in the year to September 2013 did not have a higher education qualification. We have used the LFS, although it is a survey of individuals, to provide this answer as it includes information on the age and qualifications of workers. However, the Office for National Statistic's preferred sources for industry employment statistics are employer surveys, so rather than providing an estimated level we have provided a percentage estimate.
	There are no data held by Government available on the number of young people without a university qualification working in the space industry.

TREASURY

Bank Services

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what right of appeal account holders have in disputes over dormant bank accounts.

Sajid Javid: Account holders and their heirs are able to reclaim money from dormant bank accounts at any time.
	If an account holder has a complaint about a dormant bank account, their first recourse should be to their bank's customer complaints department. If the account holder is not happy with their bank's response, they will be eligible to apply to have a further review conducted by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The FOS provides a free and independent dispute resolution service for bank customers.

Excise Duties: Alcoholic Drinks

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what (a) amount and (b) percentage per average bottle alcohol excise duty increased between (i) 1997 and 2010 and (ii) 2010 and 2014; and if he will make a statement.

Nicky Morgan: Current and historic Wine of Fresh Grape and Made Wine duty rates for each strength-related band are available in table 12 of HMRC's monthly Alcohol Bulletin, which is published here:
	https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Pages/TaxAndDutybulletins.aspx
	The average wine bottle falls into the tax category for still wine of alcoholic strength 5.5% to 15%.

Mortgages

Charles Kennedy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with mortgage lenders on their policy that domestic mortgages must be repaid in full before the mortgagor's 75th birthday.

Sajid Javid: The Government are determined that lenders should treat borrowers fairly. The independent Financial Conduct Authority sets the rules lenders are required to meet to ensure that consumers are treated fairly.
	The Financial Services Authority conducted a wholesale review of mortgage regulation in the UK, the 'Mortgage Market Review', which will be implemented by the Financial Conduct Authority in April this year.
	The Mortgage Market Review rules ensure that lenders carry out a robust assessment of the affordability of any mortgage, including for mortgages that extend into the borrower's retirement. Where older consumers have the means to support repayments, as many do through employment, pensions, or other sources of income such as investments, the rules do not prevent them from accessing a mortgage.
	As long as lenders are meeting the appropriate legal and regulatory requirements, decisions on whether to apply age limits to their mortgage products are commercial decisions for individual lenders.

Stamp Duty Land Tax: Greater London

Nick de Bois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the potential for devolution of stamp duty land tax to the London Assembly.

David Gauke: SDLT is an important source of Government revenue, raising several billion pounds each year to help pay for the essential services the Government provide and support on a national basis.
	Different tax rates in different parts of the country are likely to create a distortive effect around borders, with negative effects on the property markets either side of the borders.
	Devolution of SDLT to sub-national authorities would represent a significant change to the existing tax system with potential legal, economic and constitutional implications.
	There are no currently no plans to devolve these powers to the London assembly but the Government continue to keep all taxes under review.

VAT: Tourism

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the potential benefits of a sector-specific cut in VAT for the tourism industry.

David Gauke: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 11 February 2014, Official Report, columns 212-14WH.

Video Games: Regulation

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on reducing the regulatory burden on video games producers.

David Gauke: Treasury Ministers and officials meet with ministerial colleagues and others, as part of the process of policy formulation and development. As has been the case under successive Administrations, it is not the Treasury's practice to publish details of such meetings.
	The Government remain committed to introducing tax relief for video games producers as soon as possible; efficiency and simplification were key design aspects for the relief.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Army

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment she has made of the investigation into the operation of the Military Reaction Force in Northern Ireland.

Theresa Villiers: As allegations against the Military Reaction Force are being considered by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, it would be inappropriate for me to comment at this time.

EDUCATION

Children: Autism

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance he has issued to schools on ensuring inclusive practice for children with autism spectrum disorders.

Edward Timpson: The Department for Education funds the Autism Education Trust which provides training to mainstream early years, school and further education providers on autism and meeting the needs of children and young people with the condition. The trust has also developed “Tools for Teachers”, which brings together resources for meeting these children's and young people's needs and advice on how to use them.
	The Department will be publishing a new Special Educational Needs Code of Practice for approval by Parliament in due course. This will provide improved guidance on identifying children and young people's needs and providing for them in appropriate settings.

Children's Centres

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department last visited a Sure Start children's centre that was not in their constituency.

Elizabeth Truss: The most recent official visits to children's centres made by Ministers at the Department for Education are as follows:
	The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove) visited Norwood Kennedy Leigh Family Centre, Hendon on 3 November 2013.
	The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, my hon. Friend the Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mr Timpson) visited Stone Grove Children's Centre, Edgware on 27 November 2012.
	I visited Westfield Children's Centre, Watford, Hertfordshire on 13 November 2013.
	These visits do not include political or constituency visits.

Secure Accommodation

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many places are occupied in each secure children's home; and what the total capacity is of each such institution.

Edward Timpson: The following table indicates the number of places licensed by Ofsted for each secure children's home (SCH), the number of places actually being offered by each home and the occupancy split by welfare and justice young people. The occupancy has been averaged out over a seven-day period to provide a more accurate current occupancy rate.
	
		
			 SCH/Provider Beds available Welfare beds Welfare beds occupied average last seven days Justice beds Justice beds occupied average last seven days 
			 Aldine House Sheffield CC 8 4 4 4 4 
			 Atkinson Devon CC 10 10 9 0 0 
			 Aycliffe Durham CC 32 8 8 24 19 
			 Barton Moss Salford CC 20 2 2 18 12 
			 Beechfield West Sussex CC 7 7 7 0 0 
			 Clare Lodge Peterborough CC 16 16 16 0 0 
			 Clayfields House Nottinghamshire CC 18 4 5 14 13 
			 East Moor Leeds CC 27 2 2 25 22 
			 Kyloe House Northumberland CC 12 12 12 0 0 
			 Lansdowne East Sussex CC 7 7 7 0 0 
			 Leverton Hall Essex CC 6 6 6 0 0 
			 Lincolnshire—Lincolnshire CC 12 2 2 10 10 
			 Red Bank St Helens CC 29 8 0 21 14 
			 St Catherine’s Nugent Care 12 12 12 0 0 
			 Swanwick Lodge Hampshire CC 10 4 4 6 6 
			 Vinney Green 24 3 2 21 21

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Environment Protection

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with regard to the environmental land management scheme announced on 26 February 2014, if he will provide further details on (a) how the scheme will be targeted, (b) whether specific local areas have been identified for the scheme, (c) what the (i) minimum and (ii) maximum grants available to farmers are, (d) when the scheme will be open for applications to farmers and (e) what assessment his Department has made of the potential environmental benefits of this scheme.

George Eustice: The recent announcement described the priorities for and main elements of the new environmental land management scheme. Among other things, it responds to the views expressed in the CAP Implementation consultation exercise we undertook in last November. We will be making further details available over the coming months, including about targeting, payment rates and expected benefits. Once this design phase has been completed we will need approval from the European Commission before we implement the new scheme.

Ash Dieback Disease

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the geographical spread and impact of ash dieback disease.

Dan Rogerson: As of 3 March there were a total of 632 confirmed findings of ash dieback caused by ‘Chalara fraxinea’ in the UK, of which 405 were in England. The total is made up of 26 nurseries, 345 recent planting sites and 261 in the wider environment. While there has been a steady increase in the number of findings since the national survey undertaken in November 2012, there has been a fairly modest spread of the disease over the last year.
	To date, ‘Chalara’ has been confirmed in: Derbyshire, Dorset, Somerset, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Kent, Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex, Devon, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Leicestershire and Northumberland.
	Epidemiological modelling on the basis of current evidence suggests that the pathogen is likely to continue to spread in Great Britain, although there is likely to be noticeable regional variation, with areas in the south east, east and south-west most affected. These predictions are likely to change as additional information becomes available from ongoing research.

Ferrets: Tagging

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received from (a) the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and (b) the Countryside Alliance on micro-chipping ferrets to reduce thefts of those animals.

George Eustice: The Department has received no such representations.

Hill Farming

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to ensure that the upland entry level scheme is maintained; and what discussions he has had of other funding mechanisms to assist upland farmers.

George Eustice: On 19 December last year we announced that the new environmental land management scheme, which is being finalised, would replace existing Entry Level Stewardship. Independent scientific scrutiny has shown the need for a more targeted approach that better delivers environmental outcomes. The new scheme will be open to upland farmers.
	However, in recognition of the particular hardships faced by upland farmers, and the marginal basis on which they operate, we also announced that we would equalise direct payment rates between upland and lowland farmers by increasing the rate per hectare in the non-moorland Severely Disadvantaged Areas (SDA). In addition, we undertook to carry out further modelling to look at an increase to the direct payment rate in the moorlands. We expect to make an announcement on the moorland rate later in the spring.
	Our proposals were subject to full public consultation and we continue to work with a range of upland stakeholders, including those who make up DEFRA's Direct Payments Consultative Group.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Coal Gasification and Carbon Sequestration: North East

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the future prospects for coal gasification and carbon capture and storage projects in the North East.

Michael Fallon: The Government undertook a feasibility study of underground coal gasification (UCG) in 20041 which concluded that, in conjunction with carbon capture and storage, UCG has the potential to contribute to the UK's energy requirements.
	The Coal Authority is the licensing body for the exploitation of coal and, as of now, six conditional licences have been issued near offshore in the North East and there are another two applications pending decision in the region.
	There are not yet any CCS prospects in the North East but a pilot study is being funded in Teesside.
	1 “Review of the feasibility of Underground Coal Gasification in the UK” was published in October 2004 (DTI/Pub URN 04/1643):
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file19143.pdf

Energy: Competition

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2014, Official Report, column 401, on energy market competition, by what criteria his Department assesses the competitiveness of the energy market.

Michael Fallon: There are established competition indicators including market characteristics (such as market concentration) and market outcomes (such as prices and profits and levels of consumer engagement). These are set out in the Competition Commission Guidelines for market investigations:
	http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/assets/competitioncommission/docs/2013/publications/cc3_revised_.pdf
	The independent competition authorities (Ofgem, Oft and the new Competition and Markets Authority) are currently carrying out an energy market competition assessment.
	The competition authorities published their assessment framework on 19 December and are due to report in spring 2014:
	https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/85260/assessmentframework18decfinal.pdf

Energy: Competition

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Wirral South of 27 February 2014, Official Report, column 398, on energy prices, what the evidential basis is for the statement that next-day trading has increased to more than 50% of electricity.

Michael Fallon: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has calculated that, on average, for 2013 just over 52% of UK electricity generated was traded within the day-ahead markets. This calculation was made using data on UK electricity trading volumes and generation from a variety of sources. The data are a mixture of auction, exchange traded and OTC trading data for day-ahead UK electricity volumes. These are then compared to UK generation data. The data sources used for this are:
	Day-ahead APX and N2EX electricity auction volumes data (sourced from Bloomberg);
	Day-ahead OTC electricity volume data from the London Energy Broker's Association (LEBA) (sourced from the LEBA website);
	UK electricity generation data (sourced from the Elexon website).

Energy: Coventry

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the Coventry Switch and Save scheme supported by the Cheaper Energy Together fund.

Michael Fallon: The Department has published an assessment of schemes supported by the Cheaper Energy Together scheme, including the Coventry city council scheme. This is available at this link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/253862/Helping_Customers_Switch _Collective_ Switching_and_Beyond_final__2_.pdf

Energy: Coventry

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what funding his Department has allocated to the Coventry Switch and Save scheme through the Cheaper Energy Together fund.

Michael Fallon: The Department allocated funding of £63,000 to Coventry city council through the Cheaper Energy Together fund.

Energy: Prices

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 990, on the wholesale energy market, whether his Department has undertaken an impact assessment of the effects of ring- fencing between supply and generation businesses within vertically integrated companies.

Michael Fallon: The Government use impact assessments to assess the costs and benefits of Government policy. For example the Department undertook an impact assessment on the costs and benefits of taking powers in the Energy Act to address liquidity.
	Ring-fencing between supply and generation businesses is not a Government policy and therefore the Department has not undertaken a formal impact assessment on the potential effects.

Fracking

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the proportion of UK energy which may be supplied through extraction of shale gas over the next 20 years.

Michael Fallon: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has not carried out an assessment of the proportion of UK energy which shale gas might supply over the next 20 years. The Department has, however, published an Environmental Report which is currently out for consultation as part of the process of strategic environmental assessment for further onshore licensing. The report is available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/environmental-report-for-further-onshore-oil-and-gas-licensing
	On the assumptions of its high scenario, this report estimates that production on new licences over 20 years could be some 4 to 8 trillion cubic feet. In addition, the British Geological Society (BGS) published an estimate of the gas in place in the Bowland-Hodder shale that underlies northern England, last year. It estimated that the most probable value of gas in place as 1,300 trillion cubic feet. The BGS is currently conducting a study of the Kimmeridge Clay of the Weald Basin in Surrey and Sussex, and the Oil-Shale Group of the Midland Valley in Scotland.
	The Department's energy projections suggests that over the next two decades, overall primary energy demand in the UK is expected to remain roughly stable, with gas accounting for over a third of such demand. Until further exploration and testing can be done to determine the extent of shale gas that can be technically and commercially recovered, however, it is impossible to estimate the proportion it might supply in the UK's future energy mix.

Green Deal Scheme

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 25 November 2013, Official Report, columns 11-12W, on the Green Deal scheme, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) Green Deal assessments made, (b) Green Deal plans installed and billed and (c) energy company obligation measures installed in (i) the UK, (ii) Scotland, (iii) England and (iv) Wales in each month since June 2013.

Gregory Barker: The Department publishes the number of Green Deal assessments lodged in Great Britain in each month in Table 2 of its monthly Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) Official Statistics release:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-deal-and-energy-company-obligation-eco-monthly-statistics-february-2014)
	Table (a) presents separately the number of Green Deal assessments lodged in England, Scotland and Wales for each month between June and September 2013.
	
		
			 Table (a): Number of Green Deal Assessments lodged in England, Scotland and Wales, by month 
			  England Scotland Wales 
			 June 2013 12,187 640 690 
			 July 2013 11,993 919 733 
			 August 2013 11,066 1,349 672 
			 September 2013 11,722 1,533 712 
		
	
	The Department publishes the number of Green Deal plans in Table 3 of its monthly Official Statistics release. The Department will publish geographic breakdowns of Green Deal plans installed and billed in its next quarterly release, which is planned for publication on 20 March 2014.
	The Department publishes the provisional number of ECO measures installed in Great Britain in each month in Table 5 of the monthly Official Statistics release. Table (b) following presents separately the provisional number of ECO measures installed in England, Scotland and Wales for each month between June and September 2013.
	
		
			 Table b: Provisional number of ECO measures installed in England, Scotland and Wales, by month1,2,3 
			 Installation month England Scotland Wales 
			 June 2013 28,014 3701 27380 
			 July 2013 36,817 5,225 2,869 
			 August 2013 40,933 6,308 2,956 
			 September 2013 48,752 6,316 3,409 
			 1 ECO measures installed in earlier installation months can be notified at a later date under some circumstances. Some notified measures can be reallocated to different ECO sub-obligations and so are subject to change. 2 The sum of these breakdowns do not match the Great Britain figures published in the monthly Official Statistics release. Monthly figures are based on later cuts of data. 3 Excludes a small number of ECO measures where the address is unknown. 
		
	
	Green Deal and ECO do not cover Northern Ireland and, hence, United Kingdom figures are not applicable.

Housing: Insulation

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for West Dunbartonshire of 27 February 2014, Official Report, column 389, on energy efficiency, what his Department's policy is on loft insulation.

Gregory Barker: It is important that lofts with inadequate insulation should be fully insulated. It is also important that, wherever possible, those that can afford to pay for this themselves do so—ideally as part of a wider package of measures, and not rely on subsidy which is best reserved for the most needy.

Natural Gas

Sarah Newton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many connections to the gas grid have been made in each constituency in each year since 2010.

Michael Fallon: The figures set out as follows are for gas grid connections that fall under the eight gas distribution networks in Great Britain. These figures are not typically recorded by constituency. These figures do not include gas transmission, nor do they include Independent Gas Transporters (IGTs) as IGTs are not regulated (they are part of a relative price control as part of Ofgem's remit).
	Please see following figures from 1 April 2010 until 31 March 2013:
	
		
			  2010-11 
			  New housing Existing housing Industrial/commercial Fuel poor Total 
			 East of England 1,528 4,083 22 1,125 6,758 
			 London 348 948 17 357 1,670 
			 North West 452 1,451 22 1,981 3,906 
			 West Midlands 480 1,421 6 1,059 2,966 
			 Northern Gas Networks 1,935 4,129 470 801 7,335 
			 Scotland 560 5,385 396 3,768 10,109 
			 Southern 3,656 6,077 699 626 11,058 
			 Wales and West 2,703 6,894 755 1,779 12,131 
			 Industry 11,662 30,388 2,387 11,496 55,933 
		
	
	
		
			  2011-12 
			  New housing Existing housing Industrial/commercial Fuel poor Total 
			 East of England 2,097 4,227 79 2,214 8,617 
			 London 675 1,503 149 378 2,705 
			 North West 662 1,844 58 1,858 4,422 
			 West Midlands 637 1,564 47 954 3,202 
			 Northern Gas Networks 1,569 3,640 468 1,804 7,481 
			 Scotland 439 4,620 330 4,533 9,922 
			 Southern 4,057 5,691 642 725 11,115 
			 Wales and West 2,929 5,983 688 2,205 11,805 
			 Industry 13,065 29,072 2,461 14,671 59,269 
		
	
	
		
			  2012-13 
			  New housing Existing housing Industrial/commercial Fuel poor Total 
			 East of England 1,559 4,534 74 2,748 8,915 
			 London 635 1,145 68 200 2,048 
			 North West 494 1,523 57 1,943 4,017 
			 West Midlands 469 1,257 47 1,206 2,979 
			 Northern Gas Networks 1,187 3,341 407 914 5,849 
		
	
	
		
			 Scotland 378 7,531 295 2,801 11,005 
			 Southern 3,405 6,577 458 120 10,560 
			 Wales and West 2,653 5,069 556 2,105 10,383 
			 Industry 10,780 30,977 1,962 12,037 55,756 
		
	
	Total gas grid connections over this period are 170,958. Of this figure, 90,437 connections were as part of the Domestic Load Connection Allowance scheme and 38,204 as part of the Fuel Poverty Extension scheme (or Assisted Gas Connection scheme). The remaining 42,317 connections are new housing connections and non-domestic connections (35,507 and 6,810 respectively).

Radioactive Materials: Irish Sea

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many incidents of safety breaches occurred during transport of nuclear material through the Irish Sea in each of the last five years.

Michael Fallon: The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has published reports on three incidents during the last five years that involved radioactive material being shipped via ports which would have travelled through the Irish sea. All incidents were reported and addressed. These incidents represented breaches of the regulations covering the transport of radioactive material but did not affect the safety of the packages involved and had no radiological implications. Reports of these incidents can be found on the ONR website at:
	www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/transport/guidance.htm
	under reference '2009033' in the 2010 report and references ‘2011028' and ‘2011026' in the 2011 report.

Renewable Energy

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much investment in the Green Energy sector there was in each year between 2005 and 2013.

Gregory Barker: At present, there is no official statistical definition of “green sector” or “low carbon” so investment figures are not recorded in these terms.
	DECC, BIS and DEFRA have recently commissioned work to produce a range of statistics on the green energy sector later this year.
	Office for National Statistics data (ONS Annual Business Survey) are available for investment in the electricity sector, and these figures indicate that, from 2005 to 2009, average investment in the electricity sector was around £5 billion per year. This has increased in the period since 2010 to almost £8 billion per year, with investment in 2012 exceeding £10 billion—the highest figure on record.

Sellafield

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what reports he has received of safety breaches during the clearance of the Pile Fuel Storage Pond at Sellafield nuclear plant.

Michael Fallon: The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the right hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), has not received any reports of safety breaches in this respect. Similarly, the Office for Nuclear Regulation assures me that it has not received any reports of safety breaches meeting the reporting criteria during clearance operations within this facility.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Betting Shops

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities, which have issued Article 4 directions, have subsequently received planning applications for change of use to a betting shop in the last year.

Nicholas Boles: This information is not held centrally.

Community Assets

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many facilities have been listed as assets of community value under the Localism Act 2011 to date.

Stephen Williams: Local authorities are responsible for administering the assets of community value scheme. The Government do not require local authorities to report on the numbers and types of buildings and facilities that have been nominated and listed as assets of community value. However we estimate that from February of this year over 900 assets have been listed across England.

Empty Property

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of empty homes in (a) Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency, (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) England in each of the last three financial years.

Stephen Williams: Statistics on vacant dwellings in England and in each local authority district are published in the Department's live table 615 which is available at the following link. This table shows the annual total numbers of empty homes and those vacant longer than six months and also vacants in the local authority, housing association and other public sector tenures:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants
	Data are collected only at local authority district level and not available by parliamentary constituency. As outlined in the written ministerial statement of 18 September 2012, Official Report , columns 31-33WS, my Department no longer publishes statistics by Government office region. Local authority figures from which regional estimates can be calculated can be found at the above link.
	The figures show that the number of long-term empty homes in England has fallen by over 40,800 from October 2010 to October 2012.
	In addition, I would note that the New Homes Bonus also records long-term empty homes being brought back into use, and figures show that it has recorded 93,000 homes to date (over a longer time period) being returned to occupation.

Fire Services: Floods

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many flood rescues and flood evacuations were carried out in England by firefighters from each fire and rescue service in each of the months of December 2013, January and February 2014.

Brandon Lewis: The Department receives fire and rescue incident data to a quarterly timetable and data for this period are not yet available.

Homelessness: Females

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will publish data on the level of women's homelessness; and if he will ensure that such data include (a) the number of women who become homeless in a reporting period and (b) the length of their homelessness.

Kris Hopkins: The Department already collects and publishes some information relating to homeless women. In particular, figures on the following are collected on quarterly returns from local authorities and published at
	https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness
	in the live tables indicated:
	Table 773
	Households in the 'household member pregnant' priority need category accepted as homeless during the quarter
	Table 780
	one-person female households accepted as homeless during the quarter
	lone parent households with a female applicant accepted as homeless during the quarter
	Table 781
	one-person female households in temporary accommodation at the end of the quarter,
	lone parent households with a female applicant in temporary accommodation at the end of the quarter
	The Department has no plans to collect any further information relating directly to homeless women. Along with other Government Departments, it is seeking to reduce the data reporting burden that it places on local authorities, in line with the Single Data list arrangements that have been agreed with the Local Government Association. More details of these arrangements are available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/making-local-councils-more-transparent-and-accountable-to-local-people/supporting-pages/single-data-list
	We have one of the strongest safety nets in the world—protected in law—which means that people with a priority need for accommodation will always have a roof over their heads. We have maintained our £470 million investment to help prevent and tackle homelessness and rough sleeping.

Homelessness: Females

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to tackle women's homelessness.

Kris Hopkins: This Government have invested £470 million to prevent and tackle all forms of homelessness over the spending review period. The homelessness legislation in England provides one of the strongest safety nets in the world for families with children and vulnerable people who become homeless through no fault of their own.
	The Government are committed to tackling and preventing all forms of homelessness and rough sleeping We have:
	Invested nearly £2 million to stop the unlawful practice of councils placing families in bed and breakfast for more than six weeks;
	Supported the roll out of 'No Second Night Out' schemes across England, helping 67% of rough sleepers off the streets after a single night;
	Invested £42.5 million to improve rough sleeper hostels;
	Made it easier for councils to help move homeless families out of temporary accommodation more quickly by using good-quality privately rented accommodation—backed up by a £1 billion investment to expand the rented sector; and
	Supported local authorities to deliver high quality housing solutions for vulnerable people through the Gold Standard scheme. Councils aiming for the Standard are supported by £1.7 million worth of training and other support.

Housing: Construction

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was spent on the Get Britain Building Scheme in (a) 2011, (b) 2012 and (c) 2013.

Kris Hopkins: holding answer 5 March 2014
	The Get Britain Building programme is on track and on course, and the spending reflects the timetable of the programme. It has been helping clear up the mess that we inherited from the Labour Government's housing bust.
	My answer to the hon. Member of 27 February 2014, Official Report, column 445W, outlined the progress to date in unlocking stalled sites (with 11,165 starts as of that date), and how the programme is supporting new build housing to be completed by 2015.
	The prospectus for the first round of Get Britain Building programme was published on 22 December 2011. The prospectus for the second round was published on 21 June 2012. In both cases, the expressions of interest received after each prospectus were followed by due diligence and a contract agreement process. In that light, there was no expenditure in 2011, £29 million in 2012 and £281 million in 2013. The remainder of the budget will be spent by 2014-15 to the planned timetable.
	Each contract agreement includes arrangements for the financial drawdowns under the facility, and there may be a number of drawdowns as a site is built out. Since interest is payable on the loans, contractors will drawdown the agreed development finance as needed. This explains why government expenditure will be incurred over the course of the programme rather than all up front; however, the existence of the finance facility in itself gives developers the confidence and financial security to get building again.

Local Government: Assets

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many bowling greens have been listed as assets of community value.

Stephen Williams: holding answer 6 March 2014
	Local authorities are responsible for administering the Assets of Community Value scheme. The Government do not require local authorities to report on the numbers and types of buildings and facilities that have been nominated and listed as Assets of Community Value. Under the scheme, local authorities maintain a list of assets that have been listed in their area which they must make available on request. The proposed new local government Transparency Code also recommends that councils publish their own community assets online.

Recovery Ministerial Group

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps to assist communities affected by the flooding and bad weather since the Christmas storm his Department has taken as a result of decisions of the Ministerial Recovery Working Group.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 4 February 2014
	So far the Government have taken a number of steps to provide financial and logistical support to affected households, businesses and local authorities in England. These include:
	a number of enhancements to the Bellwin Scheme, including upfront payments to ease cashflow and an extension to the eligible spending period;
	a scheme to support councils to provide a council tax discount where homes have been flooded;
	a £76.5 million Severe Weather Recovery Scheme to support local authorities with recovery issues;
	£31 million to improve rail resilience;
	£130 million of Grant in Aid Scheme for repairs and rebuild of flood assets;
	£10 million to support famers suffering waterlogged fields;
	business rate relief for businesses affected by flooding;
	£10 million of support for small and medium enterprise for clean-up costs, materials and exceptional costs to help them continue trading;
	£2 million for firms in flood affected areas which rely on tourism;
	£5 million to repair and restore sports facilities;
	£100,000 to help with urgent repair work for churches damaged in flood affected areas.
	Further details on the £5,000 “repair and renew” grant for all affected homeowners and businesses has been announced. The information can be found on my Department's web pages here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flood-support-package-for-homeowners-and-businesses
	£750 million from the major banks has been made available to provide financial support to businesses and individual customers affected by the floods.
	Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs will consider any request for a Time To Pay extension for customers affected by the recent flooding.
	National Fire assets have been pre-deployed and deployed as and when needed to affected areas.
	In addition, Somerset will receive more than £20 million to deal with—and recover from—the severe floods.
	I would refer the hon. Member to the statements that Government Ministers have made to the House on flood recovery to date.

Right to Buy Scheme

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment his Department has made of the effect of reducing the qualifying period of right to buy from five to three years on the feasibility of local authorities ensuring a replacement of homes sold.

Kris Hopkins: The Government intend to reduce the qualifying period for the right to buy from five years to three years through the Deregulation Bill. We have produced an impact assessment on this change, including its impact on replacement policy.
	The impact assessment shows that the change to the qualifying period will enable increased home ownership among social tenants, while ensuring sufficient sales receipts to deliver a new home for each additional home sold under the reinvigorated right to buy nationally.
	The impact assessment was cleared by the Regulatory Policy Committee on 4 March and will be published on the Deregulation Bill website shortly:
	http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2013-14/deregulation.html

Right to Buy Scheme

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to ensure that local authorities ensure a one-for-one replacement of homes sold under right to buy.

Kris Hopkins: This Government have committed to re-invest, for the first time ever, the additional receipts from right to buy sales in new affordable rented housing. Our aim, across the country as a whole, is to deliver a new home for each additional home sold under the reinvigorated right to buy.
	The one-for-one replacement policy applies to additional local authority sales, that is sales above the level forecast before the reinvigoration of the policy in April 2012. Since the reinvigoration, local authorities have sold 13,800 homes, approximately 8,300 of which are additional, and over 2,000 dwellings have been started on site or acquired.
	There will be a time lag between the right to buy sale and the construction of the new build home, but the replacement timetable is in control of the local authority. If a council were to fail to spend the receipts within three years, it would be required to return the unspent money to Government with interest. This provides a strong financial incentive for any slow-coach councils to use this new funding and get on with building more homes for local people.

Trade Union Officials

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the amount spent by local authorities on funding for staff to carry out trade union activities in each of the last three financial years.

Brandon Lewis: My Department does not collate data on the amounts spent by local authorities on funding for staff to carry out trade union activities. There should be full transparency about the level of facility time given to trade unions and we intend to ensure this happens at a local level by requiring councils to publish on-line details of the amounts spent on providing support and facilities to trade union representatives in their work forces.
	Councils should review the merits of using publicly funded full-time union officials. In March 2013, we issued advice to councils on how they could follow the example set by my Department by ensuring that no employees spend all their working hours on trade union duties and by restricting the amount of facility time offered to private sector levels. I am placing a copy of this guidance in the Library of the House.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Beaches

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what obligations public beach operators have to carry out risk assessments and provide a minimum level of lifesaving equipment on public beaches.

Michael Penning: Public beach operators may be required to carry out risk assessments under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. This will depend on whether they are an employer and the nature and level of control they have over work activities taking place at the beach. Depending on the particular circumstances a risk assessment may lead to the provision of rescue and lifesaving equipment as part of a package of reasonably practicable risk control measures.
	Under civil law, public beach operators may need to consider their wider public safety responsibilities; this may direct them towards the provision of rescue equipment at particular locations.

Children: Maintenance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the policy set out in his Department's 2012-2017 Child Maintenance Arrears and Compliance Strategy to act within 72 hours of a missed child maintenance payment applies to Child Support Agency cases with a current liability.

Steve Webb: Yes, in general, the policy set out in the 2012-17 Child Maintenance Arrears and Compliance Strategy does apply to Child Support Agency cases with a current liability. However, there are instances where the circumstances of the case mean this approach is not appropriate. For example, a payment via a Deduction from Earnings Order is actually not legally due until after the set payment date, even though there may be an agreement or established practice for it to be paid earlier. Consequently there are some missed payments which the agency does not act on within the 72 hour window, even if notified.

Children: Maintenance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what proportion of cases paying 90% or more of their child maintenance liability using the Child Support Agency collection service in the quarter to December 2013 were paying their child maintenance through a deduction from (a) an earnings order, (b) a regular deduction order and (c) other enforced method of payment;
	(2)  what proportion of non-resident parents who were making child maintenance arrears payments in December 2013 were making arrears payments as a result of (a) a voluntary agreement, (b) a deductions from earnings order or (c) other enforcement action.

Steve Webb: As of December 2013, of the 337,500 cases contributing 90% or more towards their liability via the collection service, 29% of these cases had a preferred method of collection as deduction from earnings order/request. Of the 244,500 cases contributing towards arrears, 29% had a preferred method of collection recorded as deduction from earnings order/request.
	A regular deduction order is classed as an enforcement action and these are not classed as a method of maintenance collection. Those who have paid due to enforcement action will also have a preferred method of collection recorded on the system. Consequently, it is not possible to identify those who have contributed towards their liability or arrears voluntarily and those who have contributed as a result of enforcement action.
	The Agency does not hold information on the actual method of collection, but does record the non-resident parent's preferred method of collection. It is possible that maintenance is actually paid via a different method.
	Enforcement information is routinely published in the Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics which is available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/286597/csa_qtr_summ_stats_dec13.pdf

HIV Infection

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the Terrence Higgins Trust report on HIV and poverty, published in February 2014, if he will review the effectiveness of the assessment used to decide whether HIV positive people are entitled to the help they need.

Michael Penning: Assessment for entitlement to personal independence payment (PIP) and employment and support allowance (ESA) is based on the impact of an individual's health condition or impairment, rather than the condition itself.
	We continually improve and refine the processes for both assessments to ensure that they are as fair and accurate as possible. Additionally, the first independent review of the PIP assessment is expected to report to Parliament by the end of 2014 and we recently announced the appointment of Dr Paul Litchfield to carry out the fifth statutory independent review of the work capability assessment for ESA.

Housing Benefit

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost to local authorities of administering housing benefit in each of the last four years.

Steve Webb: While housing benefit is within the remit of DWP, we do not estimate the cost of administering this benefit. However, local authorities do include the cost of administering this service as part of their Revenue Outturns that they submit to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

Jobseeker's Allowance

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost to his Department was of administering jobseeker's allowance in each of the last four years.

Michael Penning: The costs of administering JSA in the following years was:
	2011-12: £730 million
	2012-13: £702 million
	Data are not available in a comparable format for the previous two years.
	The data supplied are the sum of both the New Claims and Live load costs for each of the financial years.
	The costs include management and support and non-staff costs but exclude arm’s length bodies and NDPBs.
	The costs also include an apportionment of the costs of the corporate directorates (HR, Finance, IT) plus an apportionment of shared services costs.

Local Welfare Assistance Fund

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received supporting the removal of the Local Welfare Assistance Fund.

Steve Webb: Funding has not ended. It was always the intention that 2014-15 would be the last year of separate funding for local welfare provision from the Department for Work and Pensions. Councils will continue to provide support to those in their community who face financial difficulties or who find themselves in unavoidable circumstances.
	In contrast to a centralised grant system that was poorly targeted councils can now choose how to best to support local welfare needs within their areas.
	This Government continue to provide support to local authorities through general funds as part of the Government's commitment to reducing ring-fencing and ending top-down Whitehall control.

Personal Independence Payment

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the total cost to the public purse of the higher rate mobility component of personal independence payment with eligibility criteria set at (a) 50 and (b) 20 metres in (i) 2014-15, (ii) 2015-16, (iii) 2016-17 and (iv) 2017-18.

Michael Penning: The up-to-date information requested is not available and gathering it would take the costs of responding to the question over the disproportionate cost threshold.

Personal Independence Payment

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 28 February 2014, Official Report, column 564W, on personal independence payment, what monitoring of the proportion of new claims referrals that involve a consultation assessment his Department is undertaking.

Michael Penning: Although the Department does not hold robust, validated data on the number of face-to-face PIP consultations undertaken by the assessment providers, the providers do monitor this themselves. The providers' management information is examined against original assumptions about the proportion of referrals resulting in a face-to-face consultation, as part of the regular performance management discussions between the Department and providers.

Universal Credit: Northern Ireland

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the system for paying benefits into Post Office card accounts under the universal credit programme.

Steve Webb: DWP officials hold regular discussions with Northern Ireland counterparts on all elements of universal credit payments, including payments into a Post Office card account (POCA).

Work Capability Assessment

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to improve the claimant experience of the work capability assessment.

Michael Penning: The Department is committed to improving the claimant experience of the work capability assessment. The independent review process plays a key role in helping us do this.
	The Department has implemented or is in the process of implementing over 50 recommendations made by Professor Harrington across his three independent reviews.
	The fourth independent review, undertaken by Dr Paul Litchfield, was published on 12 December 2013. It made a number of further recommendations to improve further the WCA. The Department welcomes Dr Litchfield's review and is currently considering how to respond to each recommendation. The Government intend to publish their response before the end of March 2014.

Work Capability Assessment

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the suitability of the work capability assessment to establish the fitness to work of those suffering from (a) mental, (b) progressive or (c) fluctuating illnesses.

Michael Penning: The Evidence Based Review of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) is a study that provided a unique opportunity to understand how we might make the assessment more accurate by systematically reviewing the existing descriptors alongside a different version of the assessment, which was developed by disability representative organisations.
	The study included claimants with a range of health conditions, the vast majority of whom had mental health problems or other conditions that would be commonly recognised as fluctuating conditions.
	The findings suggest that overall the WCA works as intended and is a valid assessment relative to independent experts' opinion about individuals' fitness for work that can support decisions about who should be paid ESA.
	This study is an important step in developing understanding of this complex area. The Department is currently considering the findings of the Evidence Based Review and will set out what we intend to do as a result as part of our response to Dr Litchfield's independent review, which is due to be published before the end of March.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many full-time staff are currently employed in each of the armed forces historical branches.

Andrew Murrison: The following table shows the number of full-time staff currently employed in each of the armed forces historical branches. These are all civilian staff.
	
		
			 Service Number of staff employed full-time in AF historical branches 
			 Army 8 
			 Royal Navy 8 
			 Royal Air Force (RAF) 13 
		
	
	In addition, there are two further Army posts and one RAF post which are currently vacant. There are also two temporary posts in the Army historical branch; one ends in April 2015 and the other December 2016.

Armed Forces Covenant

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many local authorities have adopted the Armed Forces Covenant to date; and how many remain to do so.

Andrew Murrison: As of 11 March 2014, 399 out of 407 local authorities in Great Britain had signed a community covenant pledging to work to bring the civilian and armed forces communities closer together. We have held discussions with all the remaining authorities, tabled as follows, and we are working to finalise signing dates. The following reflects our understanding of the local authorities' plans.
	
		
			  Expected timescale for signature 
			 Harborough district council By end March 2014 
			 Fareham borough council By end March 2014 
			 Oadby and Wigston borough council By end March 2014 
			 Hinckley and Bosworth borough council By end April 2014 
			 Bristol city council By end June 2014 
			 North West Leicestershire district council By end July 2014 
			 Blaby district council Discussions ongoing 
			 Isles of Scilly council Discussions ongoing

Armed Forces: Higher Education

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many serving armed forces officers have undertaken full-time postgraduate degrees funded by his Department in external educational establishments in each year since 2010; and what the type of degree and subject studied were.

Andrew Murrison: Information held by the Ministry of Defence on numbers of Service officers engaged in full-time postgraduate education in external educational establishments in academic years 2010-13 (September 2010-August 2014) is provided in the following tables. The main areas of research are strategic studies, security and development studies, international relations, business management and engineering.
	
		
			 Royal Navy 
			 Starting academic year Hudson Visiting Fellow (Oxford University) MPhil Systems Engineering MBA MA/MSc PhD 
			 2010-11 2 1 - 4 - - 
			 2011-12 1 2 - 5 - - 
			 2012-13 1 2 - 2 - - 
			 2013-14 11 2 1 - 2 1 
			 1 Starts Easter 2014 
		
	
	
		
			 Army 
			 Starting academic year MPhil 
			 2010-11 3 
			 2011-12 3 
			 2012-13 5 
			 2013-14 9 
		
	
	
		
			 Royal Air Force 
			 Starting academic year MPhil MSc MA 
			 2010-11 3 11 2 
			 2011-12 3 8 1 
			 2012-13 3 6 1 
			 2013-14 3 8 -

Armed Forces: Horses

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of feeding, watering and maintaining the armed forces' ceremonial horses was in each year since 2010.

Andrew Murrison: Military horses are a powerful symbol of our operational military heritage, enhancing the standing of the sovereign and the country before national and international audiences. To best maintain their health and welfare, horses must be fit, watered and looked after correctly.
	Information on the cost of maintaining ceremonial horses is not held in the format requested. However, the cost of feeding, watering and bedding ceremonial horses for each financial year (FY) since 2010 is as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year £ million 
			 2010-11 1 
			 2011-12 1.2 
			 2012-13 1.2 
			 2013-14 1.2

Armed Forces: Training

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many international military personnel and from what countries attended (a) RAF Cranwell, (b) Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, (c) Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and (d) the Defence Academy, Shrivenham in each year since 2010.

Andrew Murrison: The tables that show how many international military personnel and from what countries attended RAF Cranwell, Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and the Defence Academy, Shrivenham in each year since 2010 will be placed in the Library of the House. Figures for 2014 are as of 11 March 2014.
	Although the vast majority of those attending the Defence Academy are military personnel there are also some non-military personnel. It is not possible to separate these figures without incurring disproportionate costs.

Armed Forces: Training

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the annual running costs for basic training services were at (a) RAF Cranwell, (b) Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, (c) Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and (d) the Defence Academy, Shrivenham in each year since 2010.

Andrew Murrison: We do not separately record that element of the running costs of the establishments listed that is attributable solely to basic training services.

Falkland Islands

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will investigate what happened to the citation written for Corporal Stewart McLaughlin who was killed in the Falkland Islands in 1982.

Andrew Murrison: There is no dispute about Corporal McLaughlin's brave actions during the Battle of Mount Longdon in 1982. However, there are a number of hurdles that any recommendation for an honour or award must clear as it goes through the chain of command and finally to the Honours and Awards Committee. A recommendation may fall at any time in this process and it has long been our policy that unsuccessful citations are not retained. There is no provision to grant awards retrospectively so, given the passage of time in this case, it is difficult to see what value an investigation would add as it would not change the outcome. This has been explained to Corporal McLaughlin's family.

Military Attachés

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the salary bands for UK defence attachés are; and how many fall within each band.

Andrew Murrison: The salary bands for UK defence attachés (DA) are the same basic pay bands that all full-time military officers are paid across the three services. Within the military salary bands are a number of annual incremental levels of pay which are rank and seniority related (dependent on the number of years served within each military rank). Defence attachés ranks range from OF3 (Major and equivalent) to OF7 (Major General and equivalent). Pay ranges for financial year (FY) 2013-14 were:
	
		
			 Rank Number of UK attachés Pay range within rank 
			 OF7   
			 RN–Rear Admiral   
			 RM–Major General 1 £109,369.00 to £120,492.00 
			 Army–Major General   
			 RAF–Air Vice Marshall   
			    
			 OF6   
			 RN–Commodore   
			 RM—Brigadier 16 £98,172.48 to £102,145.08 
			 Army–Brigadier   
			 RAF–Air Commodore   
			    
			 OF5   
			 RN–Captain   
			 RM—Colonel 58 £82,381.44 to £90,560.28 
			 Army–Colonel   
			 RAF–Group Captain   
			    
			 OF4   
			 RN–Commander   
		
	
	
		
			 RM–Lieutenant Colonel 41 £67,998.84 to £78,737.16 
			 Army–Lieutenant Colonel   
			 RAF–Wing Commander   
			    
			 OF3   
			 RN–Lieutenant Commander   
			 RM–Major 5 £48,449.76 to £58,025.04 
			 Army—Major   
			 RAF–Squadron Leader   
		
	
	Total pay related costs for military UK Defence Section personnel since 2009 are as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year £ million 
			 2009-10 17.1 
			 2010-11 17.5 
			 2011-12 17.8 
			 2012-13 17.84 
			 2013-14 18.649 
		
	
	These costs include allowances, pensions contributions and ERNIC etc. and also reflect non-commissioned officers who work for the DAs at post as military support staff.
	Defence attachés are a key component in delivering the International Defence Engagement Strategy, which provides the means by which the UK uses its Defence assets and activities to achieve influence internationally. This includes promoting UK prosperity, understanding other nations security objectives, capabilities and intents, and building international capability. The rank of any particular DA post is determined by the complexity and extent of the role, the importance to the UK of a country, the need to ensure DAs are not over-matched by colleagues from other nations and cultural norms in some regions that place significant store on seniority.

Nuclear Submarines

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department became aware of the detection of low levels of radioactivity in cooling water surrounding a prototype core at the Naval Reactor Test Establishment at Dounreay; and when he first made the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency aware of this issue.

Philip Dunne: The Ministry of Defence first detected small additional levels of radioactivity in the cooling water within the reactor at the Naval Reactor Test Establishment in January 2012, as part of routine monitoring. The Defence Nuclear Regulator was informed immediately and following the completion of initial investigation work and a series of trials to determine the likely cause of the issue, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency was made aware in October 2012, before reactor operations restarted in November 2012.

Nuclear Submarines

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has reviewed its plans to operate successor submarines without mid-life refuelling in the light of the incident on the Dounreay prototype in 2012.

Philip Dunne: The reactor plant and reactor core for the Successor submarines are based on a completely different design to those at the Naval Reactor Test Establishment at HMS Vulcan, near Dounreay. We continue to plan to operate the Successor submarines without the need for mid-life refuelling.
	However, I have asked the chief scientific adviser to review again the evidence on which the decision not to operate a test reactor was based, and to report on the appropriateness of that decision.

RAF Henlow

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the running costs of the Defence Cultural Specialist Unit at RAF Henlow were in each year since 2010.

Andrew Murrison: The running costs of individual units are not collated at a single point. For example, infrastructure costs (including utilities) are managed through Regional Prime Contracts which do not split out individual units. Similarly, equipment costs can also not be split out. For this reason, the running costs of the Defence Cultural Support Unit cannot be provided.

RAF Henlow

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel of what rank and service have attended the Defence Cultural Specialist Unit at RAF Henlow for each year since 2010.

Andrew Murrison: The Defence Cultural Specialist Unit is tasked to provide cultural and human terrain specialist force elements, in order to deliver the cultural support for army and defence operations, and wider military tasks. They do this by sending individual personnel to perform specialised tasks in support of units and headquarters in the UK and on operations overseas.
	The unit is manned by personnel from all three services and has a headquarters element plus a pool of deployable personnel. Personnel are typically posted into the unit for between two and three years and the strength of the unit since 2010 is as follows:
	
		
			 As at 31 December each year: Strength 
			 2010 20 
			 2011 30 
			 2012 30 
			 2013 50

RAF Northolt

Stephen Pound: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the continued classification of RAF Northolt as a military aerodrome; and what account that policy takes of the proportion of flights using that aerodrome that are commercial.

Philip Dunne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the then Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Worcestershire (Sir Peter Luff), on 28 November 2011, Official Report, column 689W, to the hon. Member for Cambridge (Dr Huppert).
	Civilian Commercial movements at RAF Northolt continue to utilise irreducible spare capacity at this military aerodrome to ensure we get the best return for the taxpayer.

Red Arrows

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the running costs of the Red Arrows were in each year since 2010.

Andrew Murrison: The available figures for the running costs of the Red Arrows for the last two financial years (FY) are as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year £ million 
			 2011-12 10.04 
			 2012-13 11.22 
		
	
	These figures include all operating costs, but exclude asset depreciation and the capital cost of aircraft or buildings.
	Ministry of Defence officials are collating the information requested for FY 2010-11 and I will write to the hon. Member when this work is complete.

Reserve Forces

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of the ceremonial duties performed by the London Regiment was in each year since 2010.

Andrew Murrison: The London Regiment has not undertaken any State Ceremonial or public duty events from 2010 to date.
	State Ceremonial duties are defined as ‘events of National importance which help uphold the Sovereign's Majesty'. Public duties are routine activities held on a daily basis, in some cases, providing personnel for events such as the Queen's Guard at a number of locations such as Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.
	Although not classed as either State Ceremonial or public duties, the London Regiment participates in the annual Lord Mayor's Show as an integral part of the procession. In 2013 the Regiment provided the Guard of Honour at the invitation of the Lord Mayor.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many employees of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre have arrest powers.

Damian Green: The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Command is fully integrated within the National Crime Agency (NCA). As part of the NCA, the CEOP Command is able to draw on the whole of the NCA's resources. The NCA works as a flexible organisation and as such there will be NCA officers whose work covers a range of serious and organised crime threats.
	In total the NCA has 1,900 officers who currently hold arrest powers who can be called upon to tackle child exploitation. This number is for NCA permanent officers and does not include secondees or those attached to the NCA.
	It is the ambition of the Director General to increase this number over time to enhance the capabilities of the NCA and meet any operational surge.

Childbirth

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the number of births which took place where no medical attendant was present in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what plans she has to promote child protection through more stringent enforcement of the Birth and Death Registration Act 1953;
	(3)  pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2014, Official Report, column 732W, of the 113 cases of births in the last five years not registered with the General Register Office, what assessment has been made of those births not registered; and whether any of these cases have been the subject of police investigations, care orders or serious case reviews;
	(4)  pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2014, Official Report, column 732W, of the 113 cases of births in the last five years not registered with the General Register Office, how many remain unregistered;
	(5)  pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2014, Official Report, column 732W, of the 113 cases of births in the last five years not registered with the General Register Office, what assessment has been made of the whereabouts and wellbeing status of these cases.

James Brokenshire: The General Register Office (GRO) is responsible for administering the law and processes for birth registration in England and Wales. The 113 births referred to in the answer of 4 March 2014, Official Report, columns 731-32W, remain unregistered. GRO records do not indicate whether any of these cases have been the subject of police investigations, care orders or serious case reviews.
	There are a number of possible reasons for a delay in birth registration and each case needs to be handled with sensitivity. Any enforcement action under the Birth and Death Registration Act 1953 is considered in this context.
	Issues such as monitoring the level of medical attendance at births and assessing the whereabouts and wellbeing of children whose birth has not been registered are matters for a number of other organisations, rather than GRO.

Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she has taken in response to recommendations 5.1 and 5.66 in the Report on an unannounced inspection of Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre, 28 January to 8 February 2013 published by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons.

James Brokenshire: In line with a protocol with Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, a service improvement plan is drawn up within two months of an inspection to address each recommendation and outline what action will be taken. The Home Office then has 18 months to effect improvements.
	Recommendation 5.1, that detainees held in the First Night Last Night Unit (FNLNU) should have access to an open and full regime in a clean and properly ventilated environment, was accepted in part.
	Improvements to access the full centre regime and increased ventilation are limited by the building design and could be addressed only at considerable cost.
	At the time of the inspection, women were held in the FNLNU. A dedicated women's unit at Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) opened shortly afterwards in March 2013.
	The service provider has taken action to improve the admissions process, and to reduce time spent in the unit. The on-site Home Office team monitors access to the regime on a daily basis and lengths of stay in the unit to ensure that these are limited to five days or seven days where a flight has been set. Immediately following the inspection new cleaning schedules were introduced throughout the IRC.
	Point 5.66 that detainees should be given a bail application form during their induction interviews is no longer part of the Home Office induction procedures. Detainees are signposted to IRC Libraries, legal advice surgeries and welfare officers for advice and forms to make a bail application.

Deportation: Somalia

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on returning to Somalia those without permission to remain in the UK.

James Brokenshire: Our aim is for those people who have no legal basis of stay in the UK to leave voluntarily and we may offer an assistance package to help them re-integrate into their home country. For those who choose not to do so, it becomes necessary to enforce their departure.
	The Home Office will only enforce the return of individuals who they, and the courts, are satisfied are not in need of international protection and who do not elect to leave voluntarily.
	All asylum claims, including those from Somali nationals, are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with the 1951 United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees and the European convention on human rights against the background of the latest country information and relevant case law.

Entry Clearances: Married People

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what average time is taken for a British citizen resident in the UK applying for a spousal visa for a non-EU citizen.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 11 March 2014
	The Home Office does not hold these data as it is not necessary to differentiate between British nationals and third country nationals when considering applications for spouse visas.
	The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics including those for entry clearance visas granted under the spouse route within the quarterly Immigration Statistics release. A copy of the latest release, Immigration Statistics October-December 2013, will be placed in the Library of the House, and is available from:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

Immigration

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants arrived in the UK in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated March 2014
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many immigrants arrived in the UK in each of the last five years.
	The best available calendar year estimates of immigration are the estimates of Long-Term International Migration (LTIM) which are produced by ONS primarily based on data from the International Passenger Survey (IPS), with adjustments made for asylum seekers, people whose intentions change with regard to their length of stay, and migration to and from Northern Ireland. LTIM estimates are based on the United Nations definition of a long-term international migrant, that is, someone who changes their country of usual residence for a period of at least one year.
	In light of the results of the 2011 Census, ONS has published revised net migration estimates for the UK as components of change in revised population estimates from the year to mid-2002 to the year to mid-2012 for the United Kingdom. These include revisions to the net migration component, focused primarily on the middle part of the decade before improvements were made to the International Passenger Survey in 2009. However, these revised estimates are not published on a calendar year basis, and the question specifically relates to immigration not net migration.
	The latest final calendar year LTIM immigration estimates are for the years 2008 to 2012 and are shown in Table 1. Provisional LTIM estimates for calendar year 2013 will become available on 22 May 2014.
	
		
			 Table 1. Immigration to the UK, 2008-12 
			  Estimate +/- 95% confidence interval 
			 2008 590,000 39,000 
			 2009 567,000 30,000 
			 2010 591,000 31,000 
			 2011 566,000 28,000 
		
	
	
		
			 2012 498,000 27,000 
			 Source: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/migration1/migration-statistics-quarterly-report/february-2014/provisional-13q3.xls

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North of 11 February 2014 on behalf of a college in his constituency.

James Brokenshire: I wrote to the hon. Member on 11 March 2014.

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will arrange for the hon. Member for Walsall North to receive a reply to his letter to the interim Director General of UK Visas and Immigration of 3 February 2014 on behalf of a constituent, reference M1583/14.

James Brokenshire: The director general replied to the hon. Member on 11 March 2014.

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will arrange for the hon. Member for Walsall North to receive a reply to his letter to the Chief Executive of HM Passport Office of 3 February 2014 on behalf of a constituent.

James Brokenshire: Her Majesty's Passport Office replied to the hon. Member on 11 March 2014.

Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to open historic civil registers of births, marriages and deaths and transfer them from superintendent registrars' offices to county record offices.

James Brokenshire: There are no current plans to open historic civil registers of births, marriages and deaths and transfer them from superintendent registrars' offices to county record offices. We continue to look for opportunities to improve civil registration services in England and Wales, including access to historic records.

Special Constables: Rural Areas

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent steps she has been taking to recruit special constables in rural areas; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: The Special Constabulary is an important and cost-effective resource in policing.
	Individual police forces are responsible for determining their own recruitment requirements in order to meet local policing needs. In line with the Government's commitment to increase the number of volunteers, they will continue to support the development of the Special Constabulary in England and Wales.

Stalking

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been trained to deal with offences of stalking under sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in each police force area; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: This information is not available centrally as most of the relevant training for police officers takes place within individual police forces.

JUSTICE

Community Orders: Greater London

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what change there has been in the number of supervisory staff as a result of the sub-contracting of community payback in London to Serco.

Jeremy Wright: Serco won the contract to deliver community payback in London because its bid offered the best value for the taxpayer, while providing continuity of service and performance. Serco manages almost 1,000 offenders per month and the contract to date has provided London with over a million hours of offender labour. It is performing above the national average on successful completion and enforcement of orders. At the point of transfer, 265 regularly-contracted staff were engaged in the delivery of community payback in London. In September 2013, 156 regularly-contracted staff were employed by Serco Group plc to deliver the community payback contract. This reduction reflects a significant fall not only in the overall number of sentences passed by the courts, but in particular in the number of community sentences.

Convictions

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of rape-flagged convictions were convictions for (a) rape or attempted rape, (b) any other kind of sexual assault, (c) a non-sexual offence against the person and (d) another offence in 2012-13 and each of the five preceding years.

Jeremy Wright: Information held centrally by the Ministry of Justice on the Court Proceedings Database does not contain information about the circumstances behind each case, beyond the description provided in the statute under which proceedings are brought. It is not possible to identify from this centrally held information convictions for offences where the prosecution was flagged as a rape. This detailed information may be held on the court record but due to the size and complexity is not reported centrally to the MOJ. As such, the information requested can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Prison Service

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average ratio of prison officers to inmates in prisons in England and Wales was in June (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011, (d) 2012 and (e) 2013.

Jeremy Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 2 September 2013, Official Report, column 192W, to the hon. Member for Darlington (Jenny Chapman).

Prisons

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which prisons closed since May 2010 were previously housing young adults.

Jeremy Wright: Prisons holding young adult prisoners (aged 18 to 20-years-old) that have operationally closed since May 2010 are set out in the following table. There have been no closures of institutions designated for sole use by young adults.
	The table does not include the closure of wing(s) within prisons or accommodation temporarily taken out of use for maintenance or refurbishment work.
	
		
			 Prison Predominant function 
			 Reading Young offender institution (dual designated) 
			 Northallerton Dual designated prison/young offender institution 
			 Dorchester Local dual designated prison/YOI 
			 Gloucester Local dual designated prison/YOI 
		
	
	On 4 September 2013 the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), announced the next steps to modernise the prison estate so that we always have enough prison places for those sentenced by the courts but at much lower cost and in the right places to deliver our ambitions for reducing our stubbornly high reoffending rates. The changes form part of plans to save over £500 million from the costs of running prisons by the end of this spending review period.

Temporary Employment

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much has been spent on recruitment of temporary staff by his Department and its agencies in each month since May 2010.

Shailesh Vara: Temporary employment within the Ministry of Justice falls into two categories. Fixed-term contract staff recruited and employed directly by the Department, and short-term interim and contingent staff employed by and engaged through a third party supplier.
	Cost details for the recruitment of fixed-term contract staff engaged directly by the Department cannot be provided without incurring a disproportionate cost.
	The Ministry of Justice uses the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) framework for the engagement of specialist contractors and interims. The framework provides contingent labour via three sources: management and specialist roles are supplied by Capita Business Services (CBS), administration and clerical roles by Brook Street and operational and support roles by Hays.
	There are no direct costs to the MOJ in the engagement of interim and contract staff as costs in identifying and recruiting candidates is borne directly by the employing agency. These costs are then recouped through the monthly invoice paid for the candidate's services during the period of their assignment.

Young Offenders

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what offences were committed by those aged 18, 19 or 20 years old found guilty of criminal offences in 2013.

Jeremy Wright: A list of offences committed by those aged 18, 19 and 20 in England and Wales for 2012 (latest available), can be viewed in the table.
	Please note that court proceedings statistics for the year 2013 are planned to be published by the Ministry of Justice in May 2014.
	
		
			 Offences committed by those aged 18, 19 and 20, England and Wales, 2012 
			 Age Offence 
			 18 1 Murder 
			  2 Attempted Murder 
			  3 Threat or Conspiracy to Murder 
			  4.1 Manslaughter 
			  4.4 Causing Death by Dangerous Driving 
			  4.6 Causing Death by Careless Driving when under the influence of Drink or Drugs 
			  4.8 Causing Death by careless or inconsiderate driving 
			  5 Wounding or other act Endangering Life 
			  6 Endangering Railway Passenger 
			  7 Endangering Life at Sea 
			  8 Malicious Wounding etc. 
			  99 Other (Excluding Motoring Offences) 
			  11 Cruelty to or Neglect of Children 
			  13 Child Abduction 
			  17 Sexual Assault on a Male 
			  19 Rape of a Female 
			  19 Rape of a Male 
			  20 Sexual Assault on a Female 
			  21 Sexual Activity with child under 13 
			  22 Sexual Activity with child under 16 
			  23 Familial Sexual Offences (Incest) 
			  28 Burglary in a Dwelling 
			  29 Aggravated Burglary in a Dwelling 
			  30 Burglary in a Building Other than a Dwelling 
			  31 Aggravated Burglary in a Building not a Dwelling 
			  33 Going Equipped for Stealing, etc. 
			  34 Robbery 
			  35 Blackmail 
			  36 Kidnapping, etc. 
			  37.2 Aggravated Vehicle Taking 
			  38 Money laundering 
			  39 Theft from the Person of Another 
			  40 Theft in Dwelling not Automatic M/c or Meter 
			  41 Theft by an Employee 
			  42 Theft or Unauthorised Taking from Mail 
			  43 Abstracting Electricity 
			  44 Theft of Pedal Cycle 
			  45 Theft from Vehicle 
			  46 Theft from Shops 
			  47 Theft from Automatic Machine or Meter 
		
	
	
		
			  48 Theft or Unauthorised Taking of Motor Vehicle 
			  49 Other Theft or Unauthorised Taking 
			  53 Other Fraud 
			  54 Handling Stolen Goods 
			  56 Arson 
			  57 Criminal Damage Endangering Life 
			  58 Other Criminal Damage 
			  59 Threat etc., to commit Criminal Damage 
			  61 Other Forgery etc. 
			  64 Rioting 
			  65 Violent Disorder 
			  66 Other Offence against the State or Public Order 
			  71 Abuse of children through prostitution and pornography 
			  72 Trafficking for sexual exploitation 
			  Other drug offences 
			  78 Assist Entry of Illegal Immigrant 
			  79 Perverting the Course of Justice 
			  80 Absconding from Lawful Custody 
			  81 Firearms Act Offence 
			  83 Failing to Surrender to Bail 
			  84 Trade Descriptions Act and Similar Offences 
			  86 Possession of Obscene Material etc. 
			  88 Miscellaneous sexual offences 
			  91 Public Health 
			  92.3 Unlawful importation—Class A 
			  92.4 Unlawful importation—Class B 
			  Production, supply and possession with intent to supply a controlled drug—Class A 
			  Production, supply and possession with intent to supply a controlled drug—Class B 
			  Production, supply and possession with intent to supply a controlled drug—Class C 
			  Production, supply and possession with intent to supply a controlled drug—Class unspecified 
			  Possession of a controlled drug—Class A 
			  Possession of a controlled drug—Class B 
			  Possession of a controlled drug—Class C 
			  94 Town and Country Planning Act 1990 
			  95 Disclosure, obstruction, false or misleading statements 
			  104 On Constable 
			  105 Common, etc. 
			  108 Cruelty to Animal 
			  111 Offences Relating to Dogs 
			  112 Education Acts 
			  115 Firearms Acts 
			  116 Fishery Acts 
			  118 Night Poaching 
			  119 Day Poaching 
			  121 Other Offence against Game Law 
			  122 Obstruction Other than by Vehicle 
			  123 Nuisance Other than by Vehicle 
			  125 Public Order Act 1986 
			  126 Interference with Motor Vehicles 
			  130 Unauthorised Taking of a Conveyance 
			  131 Summary Aggravated Vehicle Taking 
		
	
	
		
			  137 Pedal Cycle 
			  140 Drunkenness, Simple 
			  141 Drunkenness, with Aggravation 
			  143 Other Offence against the Liquor Law 
			  149 Summary Criminal or Malicious Damage Offence 
			  151 Social Security Offence 
			  155 Military Law—Air Force 
			  Other Summary Offence (Excluding Motoring) 
			  160 Pedlars Act 
			  162 Disorderly Behaviour 
			  164 Other Offence 
			  166 Offence by Prostitute 
			  167 Aiding, etc. Offence by Prostitute 
			  168 Public Health Offence 
			  169 Railway Offence 
			  170 Motor Vehicle Licence 
			  173 Stage Carriage or Public Service Vehicle Offence 
			  180 Tram or Trolley Vehicle Offence 
			  182 Begging 
			  185 Found In Enclosed Premises 
			  191 Wireless Telegraphy Acts 
			  193 Drug Offence 
			  194 Immigration Offence 
			  99 Dangerous Driving 
			  A Summary Motoring Offences 
			  814 Fraud, Forgery etc. associated with Vehicle or Driver Records 
			   
			 19 1 Murder 
			  2 Attempted Murder 
			  3 Threat or Conspiracy to Murder 
			  4.1 Manslaughter 
			  4.4 Causing Death by Dangerous Driving 
			  4.6 Causing Death by Careless Driving when under the influence of Drink or Drugs 
			  4.7 Causing Death of a child or vulnerable person 
			  4.8 Causing Death by careless or inconsiderate driving 
			  4.9 Causing death by driving unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured drivers 
			  5 Wounding or other act Endangering Life 
			  6 Endangering Railway Passenger 
			  8 Malicious Wounding etc. 
			  99 Other (Excluding Motoring Offences) 
			  11 Cruelty to or Neglect of Children 
			  13 Child Abduction 
			  17 Sexual Assault on a Male 
			  19 Rape of a Female 
			  19 Rape of a Male 
			  20 Sexual Assault on a Female 
			  21 Sexual Activity with child under 13 
			  22 Sexual Activity with child under 16 
			  28 Burglary in a Dwelling 
			  29 Aggravated Burglary in a Dwelling 
			  30 Burglary in a Building Other than a Dwelling 
			  31 Aggravated Burglary in a Building not a Dwelling 
		
	
	
		
			  33 Going Equipped for Stealing, etc. 
			  34 Robbery 
			  35 Blackmail 
			  36 Kidnapping, etc. 
			  37.1 Causing Death by Aggravated Vehicle Taking 
			  37.2 Aggravated Vehicle Taking 
			  38 Money laundering 
			  39 Theft from the Person of Another 
			  40 Theft in Dwelling not Automatic M/c or Meter 
			  41 Theft by an Employee 
			  42 Theft or Unauthorised Taking from Mail 
			  43 Abstracting Electricity 
			  44 Theft of Pedal Cycle 
			  45 Theft from Vehicle 
			  46 Theft from Shops 
			  47 Theft from Automatic Machine or Meter 
			  48 Theft or Unauthorised Taking of Motor Vehicle 
			  49 Other Theft or Unauthorised Taking 
			  53 Other Fraud 
			  54 Handling Stolen Goods 
			  56 Arson 
			  57 Criminal Damage Endangering Life 
			  58 Other Criminal Damage 
			  59 Threat etc. to commit Criminal Damage 
			  60 Forgery etc. of Drug Prescription 
			  61 Other Forgery etc. 
			  64 Rioting 
			  65 Violent Disorder 
			  66 Other Offence against the State or Public Order 
			  67 Perjury 
			  70 Sexual activity etc. with a person with a mental disorder 
			  71 Abuse of children through prostitution and pornography 
			  72 Trafficking for sexual exploitation 
			  Other drug offences 
			  78 Assist Entry of Illegal Immigrant 
			  79 Perverting the Course of Justice 
			  80 Absconding from Lawful Custody 
			  81 Firearms Act Offence 
			  83 Failing to Surrender to Bail 
			  84 Trade Descriptions Act and Similar Offences 
			  85 Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 
			  86 Possession of Obscene Material etc. 
			  88 Miscellaneous sexual offences 
			  91 Public Health 
			  92.1 Unlawful importation—Class unspecified 
			  92.3 Unlawful importation—Class A 
			  92.4 Unlawful importation—Class B 
			  92.6 Unlawful exportation—Class A 
			  Production, supply and possession with intent to supply a controlled drug—Class A 
			  Production, supply and possession with intent to supply a controlled drug—Class B 
			  Production, supply and possession with intent to supply a controlled drug—Class C 
		
	
	
		
			  Production, supply and possession with intent to supply a controlled drug—Class unspecified 
			  Possession of a controlled drug—Class A 
			  Possession of a controlled drug—Class B 
			  Possession of a controlled drug—Class C 
			  Inciting another to supply a controlled drug—Class B 
			  95 Disclosure, obstruction, false or misleading statements 
			  104 On Constable 
			  105 Common, etc 
			  106 Betting or Gaming Offence 
			  108 Cruelty to Animal 
			  111 Offences Relating to Dogs 
			  112 Education Acts 
			  115 Firearms Acts 
			  116 Fishery Acts 
			  118 Night Poaching 
			  119 Day Poaching 
			  121 Other Offence against Game Law 
			  122 Obstruction Other than by Vehicle 
			  123 Nuisance Other than by Vehicle 
			  125 Public Order Act 1986 
			  126 Interference with Motor Vehicles 
			  130 Unauthorised Taking of a Conveyance 
			  131 Summary Aggravated Vehicle Taking 
			  137 Pedal Cycle 
			  138 Offences involving impersonation 
			  140 Drunkenness, Simple 
			  141 Drunkenness, with Aggravation 
			  143 Other Offence against the Liquor Law 
			  149 Summary Criminal or Malicious Damage Offence 
			  151 Social Security Offence 
			  155 Military Law—Air Force 
			  Other Summary Offence (Excluding Motoring) 
			  160 Pedlars Act 
			  162 Disorderly Behaviour 
			  164 Other Offence 
			  165 Kerb Crawling 
			  166 Offence by Prostitute 
			  168 Public Health Offence 
			  169 Railway Offence 
			  170 Motor Vehicle Licence 
			  172 Other Offence Against Revenue Law 
			  173 Stage Carriage or Public Service Vehicle Offence 
			  180 Tram or Trolley Vehicle Offence 
			  182 Begging 
			  183 Sleeping Out 
			  185 Found In Enclosed Premises 
			  190 Wild Birds Protection Acts 
			  191 Wireless Telegraphy Acts 
			  193 Drug Offence 
			  99 Dangerous Driving 
			  A Summary Motoring Offences 
			  99C Vehicle insurance offences: Making false statements 
		
	
	
		
			  814 Fraud, Forgery etc. associated with Vehicle or Driver Records 
			   
			 20 1 Murder 
			  2 Attempted Murder 
			  3 Threat or Conspiracy to Murder 
			  4.1 Manslaughter 
			  4.4 Causing Death by Dangerous Driving 
			  4.6 Causing Death by Careless Driving when under the influence of Drink or Drugs 
			  4.7 Causing Death of a child or vulnerable person 
			  4.8 Causing Death by careless or inconsiderate driving 
			  4.9 Causing death by driving unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured drivers 
			  5 Wounding or other act Endangering Life 
			  6 Endangering Railway Passenger 
			  8 Malicious Wounding etc. 
			  99 Other (Excluding Motoring Offences) 
			  11 Cruelty to or Neglect of Children 
			  13 Child Abduction 
			  17 Sexual Assault on a Male 
			  19 Rape of a Female 
			  19 Rape of a Male 
			  20 Sexual Assault on a Female 
			  21 Sexual Activity with child under 13 
			  22 Sexual Activity with child under 16 
			  23 Familial Sexual Offences (Incest) 
			  24 Exploitation of Prostitution 
			  28 Burglary in a Dwelling 
			  29 Aggravated Burglary in a Dwelling 
			  30 Burglary in a Building Other than a Dwelling 
			  31 Aggravated Burglary in a Building not a Dwelling 
			  33 Going Equipped for Stealing, etc. 
			  34 Robbery 
			  35 Blackmail 
			  36 Kidnapping, etc. 
			  37.2 Aggravated Vehicle Taking 
			  38 Money laundering 
			  39 Theft from the Person of Another 
			  40 Theft in Dwelling not Automatic M/c or Meter 
			  41 Theft by an Employee 
			  42 Theft or Unauthorised Taking from Mail 
			  43 Abstracting Electricity 
			  44 Theft of Pedal Cycle 
			  45 Theft from Vehicle 
			  46 Theft from Shops 
			  47 Theft from Automatic Machine or Meter 
			  48 Theft or Unauthorised Taking of Motor Vehicle 
			  49 Other Theft or Unauthorised Taking 
			  53 Other Fraud 
			  54 Handling Stolen Goods 
			  56 Arson 
			  57 Criminal Damage Endangering Life 
			  58 Other Criminal Damage 
			  59 Threat etc. to commit Criminal Damage 
		
	
	
		
			  60 Forgery etc. of Drug Prescription 
			  61 Other Forgery etc. 
			  64 Rioting 
			  65 Violent Disorder 
			  66 Other Offence against the State or Public Order 
			  67 Perjury 
			  70 Sexual activity etc. with a person with a mental disorder 
			  71 Abuse of children through prostitution and pornography 
			  72 Trafficking for sexual exploitation 
			  Other drug offences 
			  78 Assist Entry of Illegal Immigrant 
			  79 Perverting the Course of Justice 
			  80 Absconding from Lawful Custody 
			  81 Firearms Act Offence 
			  83 Failing to Surrender to Bail 
			  84 Trade Descriptions Act and Similar Offences 
			  85 Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 
			  86 Possession of Obscene Material etc. 
			  88 Miscellaneous sexual offences 
			  91 Public Health 
			  92.1 Unlawful importation—Class unspecified 
			  92.3 Unlawful importation—Class A 
			  92.4 Unlawful importation—Class B 
			  Production, supply and possession with intent to supply a controlled drug—Class A 
			  Production, supply and possession with intent to supply a controlled drug—Class B 
			  Production, supply and possession with intent to supply a controlled drug—Class C 
			  Production, supply and possession with intent to supply a controlled drug—Class unspecified 
			  Possession of a controlled drug—Class A 
			  Possession of a controlled drug—Class B 
			  Possession of a controlled drug—Class C 
			  95 Disclosure, obstruction, false or misleading statements 
			  104 On Constable 
			  105 Common, etc 
			  106 Betting or Gaming Offence 
			  108 Cruelty to Animal 
			  111 Offences Relating to Dogs 
			  112 Education Acts 
			  115 Firearms Acts 
			  116 Fishery Acts 
			  118 Night Poaching 
			  119 Day Poaching 
			  120 Unlawful Possession of Game, etc. 
			  121 Other Offence against Game Law 
			  122 Obstruction Other than by Vehicle 
			  123 Nuisance Other than by Vehicle 
			  125 Public Order Act 1986 
			  126 Interference with Motor Vehicles 
			  130 Unauthorised Taking of a Conveyance 
			  131 Summary Aggravated Vehicle Taking 
			  137 Pedal Cycle 
		
	
	
		
			  138 Offences involving impersonation 
			  140 Drunkenness, Simple 
			  141 Drunkenness, with Aggravation 
			  143 Other Offence against the Liquor Law 
			  144 Selling Tobacco to Juvenile 
			  149 Summary Criminal or Malicious Damage Offence 
			  151 Social Security Offence 
			  155 Military Law—Air Force 
			  Other Summary Offence (Excluding Motoring) 
			  160 Pedlars Act 
			  162 Disorderly Behaviour 
			  163 Playing in Street 
			  164 Other Offence 
			  165 Kerb Crawling 
			  166 Offence by Prostitute 
			  167 Aiding, etc. Offence by Prostitute 
			  168 Public Health Offence 
			  169 Railway Offence 
			  170 Motor Vehicle Licence 
			  172 Other Offence Against Revenue Law 
			  173 Stage Carriage or Public Service Vehicle Offence 
			  175 Sexual Offences—Miscellaneous 
			  180 Tram or Trolley Vehicle Offence 
			  182 Begging 
			  183 Sleeping Out 
			  185 Found In Enclosed Premises 
			  190 Wild Birds Protection Acts 
			  191 Wireless Telegraphy Acts 
			  193 Drug Offence 
			  194 Immigration Offence 
			  99 Dangerous Driving 
			  A Summary Motoring Offences 
			  99A Driving licence related offences: Making false statements 
		
	
	
		
			  99C Vehicle insurance offences: Making false statements 
			  814 Fraud, Forgery etc. associated with Vehicle or Driver Records 
			 Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.

Young Offenders

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many of those aged 18, 19 or 20 years old found guilty of criminal offences in 2013 had committed a previous offence that resulted in a custodial sentence;
	(2)  how many of those aged 18, 19 or 20 years old found guilty of criminal offences had (a) no previous convictions, (b) one to five previous convictions, (c) six to 10 previous convictions and (d) more than 10 previous convictions in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012 and (iv) 2013.

Jeremy Wright: The number of offenders found guilty at all courts, by age (18, 19, 20) that had committed a previous offence that resulted in a custodial sentence for the 12 months ending in September, which is the latest date for which data are available, is in Table 1.
	A breakdown of the number of previous convictions for offenders found guilty of criminal offences for the 12 months ending in September by age (18, 19, 20) is in Table 2.
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of offenders convicted for any offence, who have received at least one previous custodial sentence1, by age, 12 months ending September 
			 Age 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 
			 18 5,301 5,102 4,601 4,127 3,248 
			 19 7,082 6,686 6,638 5,642 4,854 
			 20 8,020 7,541 7,566 6,984 5,941 
			 1 Figures are based on counting the number of sentencing occasions for offences committed by offenders which were prosecuted by police forces in England and Wales including the British Transport Police. Offenders may appear more than once in each year, where they have been convicted on multiple occasions within the year. Note: Figures are based on counting the number of occasions on which offenders have previously received a conviction (with a custodial sentence) for any offences recorded on the Police National Computer, including some offences committed outside of England and Wales. Where there were multiple offences on the same occasion, only the primary offence as recorded on the Police National Computer would be counted. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Number of offenders convicted for any offence, by number of previous convictions1 and age, 12 months ending September 
			 Age Number of previous convictions 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 
			 18 No previous convictions 9,172 8,368 7,403 5,973 5,026 
			  1 to 5 previous convictions 11,357 10,954 9,906 8,413 6,532 
			  6 to 10 previous convictions 3,926 3,869 3,498 3,044 2,424 
			  Over 10 previous convictions 2,996 3,202 2,995 2,625 2,102 
			        
			 19 No previous convictions 9,542 9,040 8,431 7,120 5,968 
			  1 to 5 previous convictions 11,882 11,439 10,277 8,826 7,249 
			  6 to 10 previous convictions 4,155 4,279 4,131 3,395 2,913 
			  Over 10 previous convictions 3,748 3,646 4,176 3,425 2,998 
			        
			 20 No previous convictions 8,551 8,220 7,952 7,033 6,019 
			  1 to 5 previous convictions 11,371 10,980 10,482 9,026 7,547 
			  6 to 10 previous convictions 4,502 4,202 4,188 3,654 3,053 
		
	
	
		
			  Over 10 previous convictions 4,169 4,094 4,411 4,330 3,670 
			 1 Figures are based on counting the number of sentencing occasions for offences committed by offenders which were prosecuted by police forces in England and Wales including the British Transport Police. Offenders may appear more than once in each year, where they have been convicted on multiple occasions within the year. Notes: 1. Figures are based on counting the number of occasions on which offenders have previously received a conviction for any offences recorded on the Police National Computer, including some offences committed outside of England and Wales. Where there were multiple offences on the same occasion, only the primary offence as recorded on the Police National Computer would be counted. 2. These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Youth Custody

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) 18, (b) 19 and (c) 20-year-olds were held in the secure estate in England and Wales on 1 February 2014.

Jeremy Wright: The number of 18, 19 and 20-year-olds held in the secure estate in England and Wales as at 31 December 2013, the latest data available, can be seen in the following table.
	
		
			 Population aged 18-20 in custody, 31 December 2013, England and Wales 
			  Number 
			 18 1,288 
			 19 2,038 
			 20 2,589 
			 Total 5,915 
			 1Data sources and quality: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

TRANSPORT

A31

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the most recent (a) volume and (b) speed measurements were taken for vehicles on the A31 in or around Four Marks; and what assessment he has made of trends in such measurements in the last three years.

Robert Goodwill: The Department publishes Average Annual Daily Flow (AADF) data for each major road link, for every year. Traffic is counted at two points (links) on the A31, in the vicinity of Four Marks; at Count Point No. 18707 (between its junction with the B3047 and its junction with Barn Lane), and at Count Point No. 46341 (between Barn Lane and its junction with the A32).
	The AADFs for these Count Points, for 2010, 2011 and 2012 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 AADF year AADF for CP18707 AADF for CP46341 
			 2010 14,701 17,843 
			 2011 15,417 17,800 
			 2012 15,394 17,793 
		
	
	The most recent counts at the two links on the A31 took place on: 6 April 2011 (Count Point 18707), and 22 March 2010 (Count Point 46341).
	The Department publishes statistics on average speeds on local ‘A' roads in England during the weekday morning peak (7 am to 10 am). These are available on the Department's website at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/congestion-statistics-on-local-a-roads-england-oct-to-dec-2013
	Speeds for the A31 road section, in Hampshire for each direction are presented as annual averages from the year ending July 2007 to the year ending December 2013. This road section includes A31 section at Four Marks. Across the last three years, annual average speeds for the A31 (in Hampshire) were broadly stable at around 50 mph in each direction.

A595

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what total sum was spent on safety improvements on the A595 in each of the last four years; and what schemes have been completed using that funding.

Robert Goodwill: The Highways Agency has invested a total of £107,026 in safety improvement schemes along the A595 trunk road during the last four years. This is broken down as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Completed scheme details Scheme cost (£) 
			 2010-11 A595 Provision of a right-turn lane at the Joseph Noble Road Junction. 33,490 
			 2011-12 Nil 0 
			 2012-13 A595 Provision of road signing and road marking improvements at Scalegill. 43,061 
			 2013-14 A595 Minor improvements resulting from the mandatory safety audit of the A595 Parton to Lillyhall bypass scheme delivered in 2009. These improvements include the provision of four new advance roundabout warning signs with collision-deformable posts. Four safety camera warning signs were relocated, with two additional signs installed. 30,475

Driving: Licensing

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will raise the age of compulsory driving licence renewals to 80 years to reduce administration costs.

Stephen Hammond: Increasing the driving licence renewal age was proposed as part of the recent review of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
	No detailed evaluation has been made about this proposal. Any such decision would not be taken until a full consultation had been carried out and supporting evidence considered.

Shipping: Exhaust Emissions

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  when he last estimated the existing stocks of low sulphur fuel available for use by commercial ships;
	(2)  what recent estimate he has made of the level of access to low sulphur fuel products for vessels working from UK ports in the short seas shipping sector in (a) 2014, (b) 2015 and (c) 2016.

Stephen Hammond: The Department has not assessed the level of access or the existing stocks of low sulphur fuel for ships.
	The market for low sulphur fuel is determined by user demand and local fuel suppliers. We are not aware of anticipated problems with the availability of 0.1% sulphur fuel. We are actively working in the International Maritime Organisation to take forward a review of the availability in 2020 of 0.5% sulphur fuel.

Shipping: Exhaust Emissions

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to minimise the effect on seafarers' employment of the introduction of new sulphur dioxide emission limits for the shipping industry on 1 January 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Hammond: I have chaired two ‘round table' meetings for stakeholders from a range of industries-shipping, ports, abatement technology, oil refining, logistics-to discuss the way forward on sulphur. We are exploring the scope for securing EU finance for shipowners and ports who would like to invest in using an abatement technology or an alternative fuel. We are playing an active role in the European Sustainable Shipping Forum which the European Commission has established.
	Our aim is to have a consistent, fair and proportionate enforcement regime across Europe, to ensure that UK industries do not suffer from any competitive disadvantages. Relevant evidence will be incorporated into the Department's impact assessment on the new sulphur regulations, which we will publish in draft in the next few weeks. An eight week public consultation will follow, which is expected to provide more detail on potential impacts. The impact assessment will also consider the economic cost to the UK as well as the benefits in terms of improved public health and reduced damage to the environment.

Stop and Search

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times the British Transport Police used stop and search powers under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 from that section's coming into force until it was repealed.

Stephen Hammond: The British Transport Police have 224,282 searches recorded under section 44 of the Terrorism Act.

Stop and Search

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many convictions there have been due to the use of stop and search powers under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 by the British Transport Police from that section's coming into force until it was repealed.

Stephen Hammond: The British Transport Police have 1,002 persons recorded on their system as having been arrested and processed following searches under Section 44. There have been no arrests identified from the information held that individuals were processed for terrorism offences. In the main detainees were processed for being wanted on warrant, being in possession of controlled drugs or being in possession of offensive weapons.
	Data on whether the detained persons were ultimately convicted of the offences for which they were arrested cannot be obtained without a detailed review of each case, and cross referencing to the criminal justice database.

HEALTH

Abortion

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what scrutiny measures are in place to identify illegal abortion referrals; whether the competence for such scrutiny rests with the chief medical officer alone; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: Abortion is only legal if it is carried out within the terms of the Abortion Act 1967. Two doctors must be fully satisfied that any abortion is lawful, and that must be based on understanding the facts of a woman's case.
	The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is responsible for monitoring the providers of abortion services in England, to make sure they comply with the regulations set out under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (HSCA).
	If a CQC inspection identifies instances of non-compliance with the HSCA and Regulations then appropriate regulatory action will be taken.
	The Department is responsible for administering the provisions of the Abortion Act. The Act places specific responsibilities on the Secretary of State and the chief medical officer. Departmental officials continue to monitor compliance with the Abortion Act through scrutiny of HSA4 forms.
	An allegation of an illegal abortion should be reported to the police.

Abortion

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department considers cleft palate to be a serious disability for the purposes of establishing the legality of abortions.

Jane Ellison: holding answer 6 March 2014
	The Abortion Act 1967 sets out the criteria for abortion which include the ground that
	“there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped”.
	Parliament did not define serious handicap and chose to leave this to the expert judgment of two doctors, based on the merits of each individual case.

Abortion

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether it is necessary for a doctor to see a pregnant woman in order to make a judgement in good faith that she qualifies for an abortion under ground C of the Abortion Act 1967;
	(2)  how many and what percentage of HSA4 forms did not specifically indicate whether the certifying doctors had seen or examined the patient in each of the last three years;
	(3)  whether failure properly to disclose on an HSA1 form whether a patient has been seen by the two certifying doctors constitutes a breach of the regulations governing abortion.

Jane Ellison: Since the 1967 Abortion Act was passed, the law has required that two doctors certify in good faith that there are lawful grounds for any abortion. Doctors must be fully satisfied that any abortion is lawful, and that must be based on understanding the facts of a woman's case.
	From the data routinely collected from the HSA4 form, it is not possible to specify in how many cases the certifying doctor has seen and/or examined the woman seeking the abortion. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	HSA1 forms are not submitted to the chief medical officer but are held locally for three years. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is responsible for monitoring the providers of abortion services in England, to monitor compliance with the regulations set out under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (HSCA). If a CQC inspection identifies instances of non-compliance with the HSCA and regulations, or other legislation, then appropriate regulatory action will be taken.

Breast Cancer

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the efficacy and quality of care of patients with breast cancer in (a) Gillingham and Rainham constituency, (b) Medway, (c) Kent and (d) England; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: On 30 August 2013, NHS England published the national report of the 2013 Cancer Patient Experience Survey. The survey provides an invaluable insight into cancer patients' experience of care, treatment and support. The survey report includes the responses of over 68,000 patients, 13,916 of which had breast cancer. Nationally, patients with breast cancer reported the most positive experience of care.
	Medway NHS Foundation Trust and Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust are the two providers covering the areas for Gillingham and Rainham constituency, Medway and Kent.
	Medway NHS Foundation Trust is ranked 51st out of 155 trusts providing adult cancer care in England (with 1 being the best). Specifically on breast cancer, Medway Maritime performs slightly below average overall compared national scores. Although the Trust scores particularly well on questions relating to awareness of and participation in cancer research, it score less well on some questions relating interactions with doctors, patient experience of nurses on the ward and for patients being able to talk to a member of staff about their worries and fears.
	Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells is ranked 105th out of 155 providing adult cancer care in England. Specifically on breast cancer, Maidstone also performs slightly below average overall when compared national scores. In common with Medway, it scores particularly well on questions relating to cancer research, but below the national average on questions on patient experience of nurses on the ward, respect and. dignity, the provision of post- discharge information and support, help to deal with the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy and on provision of emotional support.
	Trust level reports are helping to drive improvement locally, enabling commissioners to directly challenge and incentivise improvements and providers to benchmark their performance against one another. NHS England is also working with high performing trusts in the survey to identify best practice that can be shared and developed into toolkits and will then work with trusts with poorer scores to review how they use insights gained from the survey to develop service improvement plans.
	Both national and trust level reports are available on the website of the survey provider, Quality Health, at the following links.
	National Report:
	www.quality-health.co.uk/resources/surveys/national-cancer-experience-survey/2013-national-cancer-patient-experience-survey/2013-national-cancer-patient-experience-survey-reports/301-2013-national-cancer-patient-experience-survey-programme-national-report/file
	Medway NHS Foundation Trust:
	www.quality-health.co.uk/resources/surveys/national-cancer-experience-survey/2013-national-cancer-patient-experience-survey-reports/south-east-strategic-health-authority/112-rnedway-nhs-foundation-trust/file
	Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust:
	www.quality-health.co.uk/resources/surveys/national-cancer-experience-survey/2013-national-cancer-patient-experience-survey-reports/south-east-strategic-health-authority/110-maidstone-and-tunbridge-wells-nhs-trust/file

Diabetes

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to better integrate care for people with diabetes across health and social care settings. [R]

Jane Ellison: The Department's approach to health and social integration is not condition-specific; rather we are supporting and facilitating joined-up care for citizens with any medical conditions or social care needs.
	Local national health service and local authorities, through health and wellbeing boards, are responsible for meeting the needs of their communities, which will differ from place to place. That said, many people we expect to benefit from greater integrated care will have multiple long-term conditions, including diabetes, the prevalence of which has increased in recent years and is forecast to continue (the Department’s evidence for the Public Accounts Committee in 2012 showed that the percentage of the population diagnosed with diabetes doubled between 1994 and 2009; and the number of people with diabetes is expected to rise to from 3.1 million to 3.8 million by 2020).
	The Department is supporting better joined-up health and social care in a number of ways. The 14 health and social care pioneers announced in November 2013 will be at the forefront of developing and showcasing innovative practice. From 2015-16 we will introduce a £3.8 billion pooled budget for better care across the country, for which local NHS organisations and local authorities will need to have joint plans in place from April 2014 to drive improvements from 2014-15.

Diabetes

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect of diabetes in social care settings; and what guidance he issues to commissioners on improving care for people with diabetes in social care. [R]

Jane Ellison: The treatment of individuals with diabetes, whether in national health service or social care settings, is the responsibility of local medical professionals acting in accordance with relevant professional guidelines and standards. The Care Quality Commission is responsible for inspecting care homes (as well as general practitioners surgeries and other NHS bodies) to ensure people receive safe, effective, compassionate and high-quality care, whatever their medical condition.
	The Department has therefore not made any specific assessment of the effect of diabetes in social care settings, nor issued guidance to commissioners relating to people with diabetes in such settings.

Diabetes

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the work of cardiovascular disease clinical networks and their role in improving diabetes care. [R]

Jane Ellison: Strategic Clinical Networks (SCNs) are managed by 12 locally based support teams which build and oversee effective network arrangements for their area, helping SCNs develop an annual programme of quality improvement in local services. Each SCN has an oversight group that monitors progress against the annual programme, of quality improvement.
	There are 12 Cardiovascular Disease Strategic Clinical Networks. 10 of these have now appointed dedicated diabetes clinical leads. Diabetes UK is helping to support meetings between the NHS England National Clinical Director for Obesity and Diabetes, and the diabetes clinical leads and associate directors of the SCNs. This will ensure that best practice is shared across all 12 regional networks.

Diabetes

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will report annually on progress against delivering the objectives within Action for Diabetes; [R]
	(2)  against what measures his recently published Action for Diabetes document will be assessed; [R]
	(3)  whether he plans to publish an implementation framework to accompany Action for Diabetes. [R]

Jane Ellison: Action for Diabetes sets out the broad vision and direction for how NHS England will support improvements in outcomes for people with and at risk of diabetes in the coming years, as a direct commissioner and as support to the commissioning system.
	Outcomes for people with diabetes will continue to be measured through the NHS Outcomes Framework and the Clinical Commissioning Group Outcomes Indicator Set, which are both updated and published annually. Outcomes for people with diabetes will also be assessed via the National Diabetes Audit, which includes the core audit, the national inpatient diabetes audit, the national diabetes pregnancy audit, the national patient experience of diabetes services survey, and the national diabetes foot audit, due to be launched this summer.
	There are currently no plans to publish an implementation framework to accompany Action for Diabetes.

Diabetes

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to extend diabetes testing to people who are not eligible for the NHS Health Check Programme.

Jane Ellison: At this time, there are no plans to extend the eligible age range for the NHS Health Check programme. However, in some local areas where there is a high representation of vulnerable or high risk groups, local authorities may choose to extend the eligibility age range to target these groups.
	Where an individual is not eligible for an NHS Health Check, it is at the discretion of the health professional to determine whether an assessment of diabetes should be undertaken.
	Currently, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends that health professionals should encourage people aged 25-39 of South Asian, Chinese, African-Caribbean, black African and other high-risk black and minority ethnic groups, as well as adults with a condition that increases the risk of type 2 diabetes to complete an diabetes assessment.

Diabetes

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many local authorities have prioritised (a) obesity and (b) diabetes in their (i) joint strategic needs assessments and (ii) joint health and wellbeing strategies to date. [R]

Norman Lamb: The Department does not systematically collect information on the priorities of local authorities, or the content of their joint strategic needs assessments (JSNAs) and joint health and wellbeing strategies (JHWSs).
	JSNAs and JHWSs are locally-led processes, led by the Health and Wellbeing Board, through which local areas identify the current and future health and wellbeing needs of the local population.
	They therefore offer valuable opportunities to lead efforts to reduce obesity and to prevent and treat diabetes in the local population. However, the Department has not highlighted any care group or area of need over another as this would risk undermining-the purpose of JSNAs being an objective, comprehensive and most importantly—a locally-owned process.
	Advice from Public Health England (PHE) is that Directors for Public Health, responding to a survey issued by PHE and the Association for Directors for Public Health, reported that tackling child and adult obesity remains a priority, with the majority (97%) stating that child obesity was a priority in their local strategies.

Diabetes

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to raise awareness of diabetes amongst black, Asian and minority ethnic and other hard to reach groups;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to raise awareness of the symptoms of diabetes.

Jane Ellison: The NHS Health Check programme raises awareness of diabetes and its symptoms among participants by assessing and discussing, among others, the risk factors for this disease with participants.
	A key aim of the programme is to ensure equitable uptake of the NHS Health Check. To achieve this, local authorities focus particularly on groups that experience the greatest health inequality or that are known to be at higher risk of disease such as black, Asian and other high risk groups, and people who live in vulnerable circumstances.
	In addition, Ministers support charities focusing on diabetes in black, Asian and minority ethnic groups to help raise awareness in Parliament and in the media.
	NHS Improving Quality is working to produce material to promote better practice between local authorities. The focus of this material is the promotion and delivery of the NHS Health Check and the transition to an intervention post NHS Health Check for those groups described as “seldom seen and seldom heard”, with a particular focus on addressing health inequalities.

Diabetes

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of diabetes have been diagnosed as a result of the NHS Health Check programme in each year since that programme's inception.

Jane Ellison: The number of diabetes cases diagnosed as a result of the NHS Health Check Programme is not currently recorded nationally. Economic modelling has demonstrated the potential for the programme to prevent 4,000 people a year from developing diabetes and detect at least 20,000 cases of diabetes or kidney disease.
	The recent NHS Health Check Implementation review recommended taking action to improve the flow of data across the system, improve evidence and the evaluation of the programme. Public Health England are currently developing a research and evaluation strategy that will be published later this year.

Diabetes

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people with diabetes who are unaware of their condition are tested for diabetes.

Jane Ellison: NHS England is putting a real emphasis on screening for high risk or the presence of Type 2 diabetes through NHS health checks. The NHS Health Check programme is a risk assessment and management programme, for those aged 40 to 74, aimed at raising awareness and preventing a range of illnesses, including Type 2 diabetes.
	Delivery of the NHS Health Check programme has been mandated to local authorities from April 2013, and NHS England has an objective in its Mandate from the Department to work with Public Health England to support local government in this work.
	Beginning on 23 September 2013, and supported by NHS England and Public Health England, Diabetes UK launched the largest ever Type 2 diabetes awareness campaign. The campaign aimed to raise awareness of the risk factors of Type 2 diabetes and enable people to understand their risk of developing the condition. Advertising was used to drive people to Diabetes UK's online risk score or into pharmacies for an assessment with information on what people should do next, depending on their risk level, including visiting their general practitioner (GP) if recommended. The charity wrote to all GP surgeries across the United Kingdom as well as professional organisations to advise about the campaign.

First Aid

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of potential ways to increase the number of people trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and using automated external defibrillators.

Jane Ellison: No recent assessment has been made of potential ways to increase the number of people trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and using automated external defibrillators.
	However, NHS England is working with the British Heart Foundation and the Resuscitation Council to help drive up training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, identify the location of public access defibrillators and establish a national database.
	The British Heart Foundation is also working successfully with industry partners to increase the public availability of defibrillators.

Health: Screening

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment has been made of the implementation of the NHS Health Check programme in England.

Jane Ellison: An implementation review of the NHS Health Check programme was published in July 2013. The review made 10 recommendations which are being addressed through the implementation of Public Health England's NHS Health Check 10 point action plan.
	Recent data reported by local authorities confirmed that between April and December 2013, 13.2% of the eligible population (2,022,063 people) had been offered an NHS Health Check. Of those offered 48.1% (973,093 people) had received an NHS Health Check. This compares with 11.7% and 48.5% for offers and uptake respectively for the same period in 2012.
	For the first time since the programme's implementation in 2009, the quarter three NHS Health Check data confirmed that all upper tier local authorities are now delivering the programme.

Heart Diseases

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how implementation of the Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes Strategy is monitored and evaluated;
	(2)  what recent steps NHS England has taken to incentivise and support primary care to consistently provided good management of people with, or at risk of, cardiovascular disease;
	(3)  with reference to Action 4 of his Department's publication, Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes Strategy, what progress has been made by NHS England on developing new tools to support the improvement of detection rates for cardiovascular disease in primary care.

Jane Ellison: Outcomes for people with and at risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are measured through the NHS Outcomes Framework and Clinical Commissioning Group Outcomes Indicator Set. NHS England has also established a working group with Public Health England which meets quarterly to discuss progress on the recommendations of the CVD Outcomes Strategy.
	NHS England's future commissioning of primary care services will be informed and guided by the development of the primary care workstream of the Call to Action on the future of the NHS. This workstream is considering how best to drive and encourage better management of people with, or at risk of, all long-term conditions, including CVD.
	NHS Improving Quality (NHS IQ) has developed the 'GRASP Suite' of primary care audit tools to help general practitioners (GPs) improve the detection and management of two cardiovascular conditions-atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF). Each of these toolkits contains a case finder, which helps GPs identify patients presenting with symptoms which may indicate the presence of AF or HF which has not been diagnosed, and a management audit tool comparing current management with National Institute for Health Care Excellence guidelines.
	NHS IQ monitors the uptake and use of these toolkits, and currently over 2,600 practices in England have run and uploaded data from the AF toolkit. The HF toolkit will be formally launched later this year, though it is already available for use and is being promoted by NHS IQ.
	The case finding elements of GRASP-AF and HF will have an impact on the recorded prevalence of these conditions, and the GRASP toolkits will allow us to monitor the increase in recorded prevalence of each of these conditions over time. The data collected also allow NHS IQ to monitor the management of AF and HF against NICE guidelines, and track future improvement in this management.

Heart Diseases

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made by the national cardiovascular intelligence network in bringing together existing cardiovascular disease data.

Jane Ellison: Early National Cardiovascular Intelligence Networks (NCVIN) deliverables include a web portal—www.ncvin.org.uk—a series of factsheets with information and data about cardiovascular risk factors and disease areas and profiles presenting a baseline position for Strategic Clinical Groups (SCNs); clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and local authorities (LAs) geographies.
	As well as bringing together data into a range of tools and resources, NCVIN will invest in supporting health professionals such as CCGs, LAs and clinicians in ensuring that this knowledge and evidence translates into quality improvement. NCVIN has invested in a programme of masterclasses developed and delivered with the NHS England SCNs and national audit programme partners. They will provide practical interpretation and increased understanding of the knowledge and evidence available across the cardiovascular family of diseases.
	A key strategic priority of NCVIN will be to bring together the rich clinical data currently collected through a range of national clinical audit programmes which sit in organisations including the Royal College of Physicians, the Renal Registry, Health and Social Care Information Centre and National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research. These organisations are significant partners in the NCVIN.
	In order to facilitate data sharing and opportunities for data linkage, Public Health England (PHE) has invested in NCVIN Clinical Leads embedded within the national audits. The NCVIN Partnership Board and NCVIN Clinical Leads will drive the work programme, identifying joint collaborative projects. A strategic goal of the NCVIN is to develop a cardiovascular population view from across the data sources. PHE is working with partners to understand what infrastructure and information governance frameworks will be required to ensure that this is achieved.

Heart Diseases

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the efficacy of the processes for identifying (a) familial hypercholesterolemia and (b) sudden cardiac death and inherited cardiac conditions;
	(2)  what steps have been taken by the National Clinical Director for Heart Disease to spread good practice on identifying people who may have (a) familial hypercholesterolemia, (b) inherited sudden cardiac death or (c) another inherited heart condition.

Jane Ellison: No recent assessment has been made of the efficacy of the processes for identifying familial hypercholesterolemia, sudden cardiac death or familial hypercholesterolemia.
	The National Clinical Director for Heart Disease (NCD) at NHS England is currently working with the Cardiovascular Disease Strategic Clinical Networks to promote cascade testing for the relatives of people who have familial hypercholesterolemia, sudden cardiac death or another inherited heart condition.
	In addition, the NCD for Cardiac Care met with the Chief Coroner who agreed to send out a letter to all coroners highlighting the importance of offering appropriate information to families when a young (<40 years) member of their family is thought to have died from an inherited cardiac condition. The information is supplied by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), and both BHF and the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young offer support and advice regarding referral for specialist advice.

Heart Diseases

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cardiovascular disease in the last 12 months.

Jane Ellison: Public Health England (PHE) and the national health service have taken steps to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cardiovascular disease. At an individual patient level, health care professionals will use their judgment to provide clinically appropriate information and advice on the signs and symptoms of cardiovascular disease.
	Specific information on cardiovascular disease, its signs and symptoms can also be accessed by the public through the NHS Choices website. Information on cardiovascular disease was also shared directly with just over 2,022,063 people between April and December 2013 as part of the NHS Health Check invitation. Over the same period, 973,093 people also benefited from a discussion about cardiovascular disease as part of the NHS Health Check.
	At a population level, PHE has continued to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of stroke through the Act FAST (Face Arms Speech Time) campaign. PHE has also launched two pilot campaigns, one on breathlessness and one on high blood pressure, both of which are symptoms of cardiovascular disease. These pilots aim to improve early diagnosis by encouraging people to visit their doctor to check for these signs and symptoms of cardiovascular disease. PHE will be evaluating the pilot's performance by collection and analysis of clinical data.

Heart Diseases

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people with coronary heart disease have a co-morbidity in England.

Jane Ellison: These data are not collected centrally. The Long Term Conditions Compendium (Third Edition), which was published in 2012, stated that 33% of people with one long-term condition have at least one other condition. The Long Term Conditions Compendium is available online at the following weblink:
	www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/216528/dh_134486.pdf

Heart Diseases

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to paragraph 37 of his Department's Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes Strategy, what steps Public Health England has taken to work with NHS England and the Health and Social Care Information Centre on risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Jane Ellison: Public Health England (PHE) has established a national cardiovascular intelligence network (NCVIN) with a range of organisations including NHS England, the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), the custodians of cardiovascular national audit programmes and various charities. Further information can be found at:
	www.ncvin.org.uk
	Working with both the HSCIC and NHS England, PHE routinely provides data and intelligence on the range of risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Early deliverables have included:
	a series of sourced and referenced key facts on risk factors for cardiovascular disease published through NCVIN;
	publication of the Public Health Outcomes Framework indicators through a web portal, with specific indicators relating to CVD risk factors, found at:
	www.phoutcomes.info/
	health profiles providing a snapshot overview of health for each local authority in England to inform joint strategic needs assessments and health and wellbeing board priorities and working with NHS England and NHS Right Care to develop Commissioning for Value CVD focus packs for all clinical commissioning groups in England.
	In collaboration with NHS England and HSCIC, PHE continues to develop and establish robust datastreams for CVD risk factors.
	PHE also worked with NHS England to publish and deliver on the NHS Health Check 10 point action plan. Further to this PHE is now progressing a joint programme of activity to improve clinical follow-up and management.

Hospitals: Waiting Lists

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations were cancelled on or after the day of admission in each NHS trust in England in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: The information has been placed in the Library.

Human Papillomavirus: Gillingham

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in Gillingham and Rainham constituency have received the human papillomavirus vaccine since its introduction.

Jane Ellison: Data are available from September 2008 to August 2013 and available only at the old primary care trust (PCT) level. The constituency of Gillingham and Rainham falls within the boundaries of Medway PCT.
	Since September 2008, at least 10,426 girls were reported from Medway PCT to have received the completed course of three doses of human papillomavirus vaccine. This figure will be an underestimate due to some girls receiving their vaccine after the data submission date.

Malnutrition

Sarah Newton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the number of hospital admissions for malnutrition; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: A count of finished admission episodes for patients with a primary or secondary diagnosis of malnutrition in England in 2012-13 showed 5,499 admissions. This is not a count of patients as the same patient may be admitted more than once in a financial year.
	The Government are helping to raise awareness of malnutrition among individuals and carers though NHS Choices and we are funding a pilot led by the Malnutrition Taskforce to reduce malnutrition among older people in health and care settings and the community.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any companies with contracts to receive NHS patient data approved by the former NHS information centre are still being provided with data updates by the new Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Daniel Poulter: There are data sharing agreements that were in place prior to 1 April 2013 and therefore agreed by the NHS Information Centre, which permit the use of data after 31 March 2013, and therefore during the existence of the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC). There are also agreements approved by the NHS Information Centre which permit the provision of additional data post 31 March 2013.
	On 5 March 2014 the HSCIC Board agreed four important steps to improve the transparency of its decision-making and build public trust in its actions. The measures included writing to all recipients of HSCIC data to remind them of their responsibilities under their data sharing agreements, the HSCIC's right to audit use of the data released to them, and the HSCIC's intention to publish details of their access.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Health and Social Care Information Centre will be liable to legal action initiated by companies to which they have refused to supply patient data under the care.data scheme.

Daniel Poulter: As data controller, the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) is legally responsible for the data it collects and can decide to provide them to third parties or not.
	A third party could sue HSCIC for breach of contract but could not force the HSCIC to release data where HSCIC was concerned about the purpose of the use of the data.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 25 February 2014, Official Report, column 275W, on medical records: database, what remedial action for breach of contract would involve.

Daniel Poulter: Extracts have not yet begun, therefore, NHS England has not finalised what remedial action would be taken for a breach of contract. Focus is on supporting general practitioner practices to ensure that patients understand how their information is shared for these purposes and the choices they have available to them.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the value is of the care.data contract with Atos.

Daniel Poulter: There is no care.data contract in place with Atos.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which companies bid for the care.data contract.

Daniel Poulter: There is no care.data contract.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons his Department awarded the care.data contract to Atos.

Daniel Poulter: There is no care.data contract in place with Atos.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what auditing procedures are in place to monitor the use of NHS patient data which has been provided to companies.

Daniel Poulter: Where identifiable data, ‘red data’, or de-identified data for limited disclosure or access, 'amber data', have been provided to a third party, the Health and Social Care Information Centre will draw up a data sharing agreement. This agreement will include the right to undertake an audit of the licensee to ensure that the terms of the agreement are being followed.
	The Health and Social Care Information Centre will only release data if there is a legal basis to do so, for the good of health and care and patient privacy will be respected.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether patient data can be retrieved after it has been extracted under care.data.

Daniel Poulter: If a patient objects to the use of their personal information for purposes other than direct care following an extraction, they can instruct the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) to stop processing their identifiable information in the different data collections the HSCIC is responsible for. They can do this by completing an appropriate form available on the HSCIC website and providing proof of their identity.
	If a patient objects and the identifiable information is removed, the HSCIC can continue to use the information that relates to the individual, but has been anonymised, to compile statistics and reports. This is because information that does not identify an individual is neither personal nor private and the Data Protection Act 1998 no longer applies to it, therefore the law allows its use. Anonymised data, which reveal no personal information about patients, are immensely helpful to the national health service, public health and social care.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether companies will be permitted to use patient data extracted under care.data for profit-making activities.

Daniel Poulter: The Health and Social Care Information Centre will only disseminate information for the purposes of the provision of health care or adult social care or the promotion of health.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will take to ensure that patient data extracted as part of care.data will not be sent outside the UK.

Daniel Poulter: In accordance with the Information Commissioner's Office, personal data can be transferred to countries within the European economic area (EEA) on the same basis as transferring data within the United Kingdom. The Health and Social Information Centre may only release information under its general dissemination powers if for the purposes of health and care or adult social care provision, or the promotion of health.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has carried out a risk assessment on care.data.

Daniel Poulter: As with all major projects and programmes on the Health and Social Care Information Centre portfolio of work, the programme adheres to the Major Projects Authority assurance process, led by the Cabinet Office.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what audits he will carry out on care.data after extraction of patient records begins.

Daniel Poulter: The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) is responsible for ensuring that it does not disclose information to bodies that do not have secure data handling procedures. The HSCIC requires all bodies requesting information to meet published information security standards and to sign an agreement that enables the HSCIC to conduct follow up audits where stronger assurance is desirable.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what types of organisation (a) will and (b) will not be permitted to access patient records extracted as part of care.data;
	(2)  under what circumstances and for what purposes amber data can be disclosed to companies under care.data.

Daniel Poulter: Any organisation can make an application to the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) for identifiable data (‘red data’) or de-identified data for limited disclosure or access (‘amber data’) and each application is considered individually.
	Data collected under care.data will only be released by the HSCIC for commissioning purposes and where applicants can demonstrate that they will be used for the benefit of health and social care.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who will be responsible for taking decisions on the disclosure of identifiable and potentially identifiable data under care.data.

Daniel Poulter: Decisions will be made by the Health and Social Care Information Centre within a policy framework agreed with the Department and NHS England. This framework is currently being reviewed to reflect proposed changes to the current Care Bill and will ensure that all disclosure of data are lawful, ethical and appropriate.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what circumstances (a) the Department for Work and Pensions and (b) HM Revenue and Customs can access patient information extracted as part of care.data.

Daniel Poulter: Data can only be used for the purposes of health and care or adult social care provision, or the promotion of health. The Department for Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs would fall outside these purposes.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meetings he has had with commercial companies on care.data in the last two years; and when such meetings took place.

Daniel Poulter: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has not held any meetings with commercial companies on care.data.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meetings he has had with the hon. Member for Mid Norfolk to discuss care.data in the last two years; and when such meetings took place.

Daniel Poulter: Details of all ministerial meetings with external parties are published quarterly in arrears on the Department's website. The latest publication can be found on the Department's website:
	www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-external-meetings-2012-to-2013?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures are in place to retrieve or destroy NHS patient data which has been wrongly provided to companies.

Daniel Poulter: The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) has strict assurance processes in place which are completed before any data are passed to an organisation that has requested them. The HSCIC has recently revised the strict assurance processes for releasing data and has a robust checking mechanism in place to ensure the correct data are sent to the correct organisation.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will take to test the technology used to extract patient records as part of care.data before full data extraction takes place.

Daniel Poulter: The care.data primary care extract will be assured in line with the General Practice Extraction Service certification process. The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) will produce the Extraction Requirement which is circulated to general practice system suppliers and sets out the data that will need to flow to the HSCIC for this requirement.
	The certification process tests whether general practice system suppliers interpret and implement the Extraction Requirement in the manner it should be interpreted and implemented.

Obesity

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to ensure that psychological support is always provided alongside medical interventions for Tier 3 obesity treatment of children, adolescents and adults.

Jane Ellison: Local health and care service providers are responsible for the provision of tier 3 obesity services to meet the needs of their population. As part of the obesity care pathway, Public Health England and the Department would expect local services to be developed taking into account both NHS England's and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance for tier 3 assessment and support; namely that a tier 3 service for children, adolescents and adults, is comprised of a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) of specialists, led by a clinician and including psychological support. For children and adolescents it is recommended that the MDT has a paediatric obesity focus and in addition to clinical treatment, to also provide support on family lifestyle behaviours.

Obesity

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the NHS is taking to tackle obesity among members of its workforce.

Jane Ellison: National health service organisations are encouraged to lead the way in supporting staff to address their own weight and health issues, in addition to helping patients do the same. NHS England has committed to supporting the NHS Sports and Activity Challenge which aims to support the importance of staff well-being, as well as the opportunities which it offers to deliver the very best care we can to patients, carers and the public more generally.
	The Public Health Responsibility Deal health at work pledges include one on Healthier Staff Restaurants which makes it easier for people to choose and maintain a healthier diet while at work. The food and drink available and promoted in the workplace, for example in staff restaurants and cafes, vending machines and buffets for staff, can play a vital role in influencing people's choices and behaviour about what they eat at work and outside of work. There are now 57 NHS trusts signed up to at least one of the health at work collective pledges and of these, 21 are signed up to the Healthier Staff Restaurants pledge.

Obesity

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many officials at Public Health England are tasked specifically with tackling obesity.

Jane Ellison: Public Health England (PHE) obesity related workforce complements the Department's Obesity and Food Policy team and local public health teams.
	PHE has approximately 12 full-time staff working on obesity from the following teams: obesity and healthy weight, obesity knowledge and intelligence and staff working on childhood obesity in the children, young people and families' team.
	PHE delivers its programmes, through teams working together across the life course and on specific subject areas. A range of teams make a significant contribution to the work on obesity including: Diet and Obesity; Children; Health Equity; Adults and Older People; and its Regional and Centre teams, who also support local public health teams to deliver action to prevent.

Out-patients

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many out-patient appointments were cancelled in each NHS trust in England in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: The information has been placed in the Library.

Palliative Care

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the development of the Transform programme in hospitals.

Norman Lamb: The Transform programme was launched in 2011 to provide practical support to managers and clinicians in acute trusts in England with the aim of delivering real improvements to the quality of end of life care for individuals and their carers. The aim was also to promote the quality improvement approach and the dissemination of best practice.
	Evaluation of the programme started in August 2013 and included a rapid review of all the data and published documents that had been captured in relation to Phase I. A series of interviews took place in October and November 2013 with members of the Transform programme steering group to scope plans for a further evaluation of the programme from April 2014 onwards. Additionally, a series of case studies have been generated to highlight innovative practice and to help share learning. The executive summary of the evaluation of the Transform programme is due to be published at the end of March 2014.

Pancreatic Cancer

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to include pancreatic cancer in the National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative.

Jane Ellison: Achieving earlier diagnosis of cancer is key to our ambition to save an additional 5,000 lives per year by 2014-15.
	The focus of Be Clear on Cancer campaigns so far has been on cancers with the largest number of avoidable deaths, compared with countries with the best survival rates. We know early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer can be very difficult as the symptoms are shared with a wide range of benign conditions. We will continue to keep campaigns under review and work with relevant experts to see what might be done to tackle other cancers, including pancreatic cancer.

Skin Cancer

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the clinical effectiveness of ipilimumab as a first line treatment for patients with advanced melanoma; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: We have made no such assessment. Ipilimumab (Yervoy) is licensed for the treatment of advanced (unresectable or metastatic) melanoma in adults.
	The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently appraising the use of ipilimumab for previously untreated unresectable stage III or IV malignant melanoma. Details of NICE's draft guidance for consultation for this appraisal are at:
	http://guidance.nice.org.uk/TAG/209
	Stakeholders have until 18 March to comment on NICE's draft recommendations.

Skin Cancer

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that patients with advanced melanoma have access to all appropriate, innovative and clinically effective treatments; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended ipilimumab (Yervoy) as an option for treating advanced melanoma in people who have received prior therapy and vernurafenib (Zelboraf) for the first-line treatment of advanced melanoma in patients with a particular gene mutation.
	National health service commissioners are legally required to fund those treatments recommended by NICE in its technology appraisal guidance.
	Where a drug is not routinely funded by the NHS, patients may be able to access it via the Cancer Drugs Fund. NHS England is responsible for administering the fund, and decisions on which treatments are afforded priority funding status are taken by an expert clinical panel. For cancer drugs not on the national cohort policy list, regional clinical panels can consider individual applications for funding in exceptional cases.

Surgery

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many finished admission episodes there were in each NHS trust in England in the last five years for which figures are available; what the (a) mean and (b) median time waited was in days for (i) hip replacement, (ii) hysterectomy and (iii) cataract removal procedures in each such area; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: The information has been placed in the Library.